National
Telangana slashes VAT on ATF to 1%
Hyderabad, March 23 (IANS) The Telangana government on Friday reduced Value-Added Tax (VAT) on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 16 per cent to 1 per cent.
Industry minister K.T. Rama Rao made the announcement at an event organised to mark completion of 10 years of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.
He said the decision would come into effect immediately, adding this would help increase air connectivity and attract more international carriers to Hyderabad.
Rama Rao, also the son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, said the government had promised this to Civil Aviation Secretary R.N. Choubey at ‘Wings India 2018’ held here earlier this month.
Choubey stated at ‘Wings India’ that VAT on ATF was over 50 per cent of total operating cost of domestic carriers and this was 70 per cent higher than the global average.
Rama Rao said the development of India’s first Greenfield airport by GMR Group was the most remarkable and inspiring story.
He said the most modern airport was the shining example of what Telangana and Hyderabad stand for. “Hyderabad airport is the brand ambassador of our ambition to position Hyderabad as the global city,” he said.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for an exhibition cum convention centre. Rama Rao said the convention centre with 12,000 capacity would be India’s largest facility and would be the destination for meetings, conventions and exhibitions.
The government also announced metro rail to further boost the connectivity to the airport, located about 30 km from the city.
Rama Rao said ‘Hyderabad Metro Airport Express’ was estimated to cost Rs 4,650 crore.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.