National
Delhi bags Rs 3.15 cr as ‘corona fee’ on liquor in one day
The Delhi government has collected Rs 3.15 crore as ”special corona fee” on liquor sale of Rs 4.50 crore on Tuesday, officials said on Thursday.
A day after allowing reopening of 150 state-run liquor vends in the city on Monday, the Delhi government imposed a ”special corona fee” on alcohol, equal to 70 per cent of the MRP from Tuesday.
The Delhi Excise Department said: “On Monday, liquor valued at Rs four crore was sold. On Tuesday, liquor valued at Rs 7.65 crore was sold in the city, which included Rs 3.15 crore as special corona fee.”
As the Delhi government allowed the sale of liquor in Delhi, standalone shops having L6 and L8 licences have been operating in the city from Monday as the government extended the lockdown for two weeks with some relaxations based on the Centre”s guidelines.
The Delhi government issues licences to sell liquor to its tourism and related undertakings — Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation; Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation; Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited; and Delhi Consumer”s Cooperative Wholesale Store.
These agencies can further issue licences to those who want to use their premises to sell liquor.
Currently, the standalone liquor shops are allowed to open between 9 am and 6.30 pm.
The Delhi government”s excise revenue was badly affected by the coronavirus lockdown.
While it levied additional levey on liquor, it also increased the Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel.
According to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, every year the estimated revenue of Delhi government in April is Rs 3,500 crore, though it is just Rs 300 crore this year. He said if the situation continues, it will be difficult for the Delhi government to pay salaries to its employees.
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.