National
Attitude change key to successful Clean India mission: Birender Singh
New Delhi: Union Rural Development Minister Birender Singh Monday called for an attitudinal change towards hygiene in India as well as an institutional revamp to ensure the Clean India Mission’s success, as technological change alone was insufficient.
Addressing the India WASH Summit 2015 here, Singh said the solution to the problem of poor hygiene and sanitation in rural as well as urban India was “not only to introduce new technology” but also linked with the flexibility that all states must have in implementing the mission as well as the need to “ensure leadership capacities at all levels while enhancing the role of panchayati raj that could mobilise communities to implement the Clean India mission”.
“Are all the technologies that we have for the solid-waste management actually technically feasible in the rural areas?” he asked, stressing the need to provide communities with technologies that are location-specific and feasible in the rural setting.
In view of the pollution and the receding water levels in the Ganga, Singh stressed the importance of regulating its tributaries in order to ensure a healthy water system of the ancient river.
“If you want to keep the Ganga clean, then there is a need to regulate the flow of the tributaries of Ganga. Half of the problem is resolved then. Lakhwara and Kisau dams are to be constructed on the upstream of (tributary) Yamuna which would regulate its flow,” he said.
Describing sanitation as key to a healthy India, the minister stressed the need to develop a system for monitoring the progress of the mission. He noted the role of civil society is equally important and must also be promoted.
The three-day summit organised by WaterAid and the ministries of drinking water and sanitation and urban development, seeks to explore solutions to sanitation issues in India, and bring together thought leaders, the private sector, government officials and NGOs working in the field to make a clean India a reality by 2019.
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.