Indian man and his associates win 20 million dirham jackpot in UAE: report
Dubai, Jul 4: A 37-year-old Indian man and nine of his associates from different countries have hit a jackpot by winning a whopping 20 million dirham (approximately Rs 40 crore) in a raffle draw in the UAE, according to a media report.
Renjith Somarajan, who hails from Kerala and works as a driver in Abu Dhabi, has been purchasing tickets for the past three years, including winning the jackpot while he was right in front of a mosque, the Khaleej Times reported on Saturday.
I never thought I would hit the jackpot and had always pinned my hopes on the second and third, Somarajan was quoted as saying in the report.
He said this time the second and third prizes were 3 million dirham and 1 million dirham.
Somarajan's phone is now buzzing with congratulatory calls from friends and loved ones.
He said it has been a tough life for him so far while hopping jobs in hope of a better salary.
I have been here since 2008. I worked as a driver with Dubai Taxi and different companies. Last year, I worked as driver-cum-salesman with a company but with my salary deduction, it was a difficult life, Somarajan added.
Somarajan will be sharing the amount with nine others whom he gathered only recently.
We are a total of 10 people. Others are from different countries, like India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. They work in the valet parking of a hotel. We took the ticket under the buy two and get one free' offer. Each person pooled 100 dirhams. The ticket was taken in my name on June 29. What I can tell others is to continue trying your luck. I was always sure that my lucky day would come. I was always sure the almighty would bless me one day, he said.
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Min. Priyank Kharge to expresses concern over implementation of VB-G Ram G
Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.
Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.
He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.
Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.
He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.
He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.
Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.
The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.
“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.
