BHUBANESWAR: The Rs 5 meal scheme ‘Aahaar’, launched by the previous BJD government to provide subsidised food to the urban poor, will continue in the state but might get a new name soon, said Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday.
During a surprise visit to the Aahaar centre on the Capital Hospital premises here, the minister said the cooked food scheme will continue as it serves the public’s interest. However, a review of the scheme’s name might be conducted in the future.
Launched in April 2015, the scheme is being currently run through 168 Aahaar centres in 115 urban local bodies (ULBs) of the state. All the centres and kitchens are ISO-certified and GEO-linked, with 61 centres offering night meals. The scheme supplies one lakh meals every day.
Mahapatra also bought a coupon at the Capital Hospital Aahaar centre and had food with other people. He interacted with the beneficiaries and enquired about the quality of the food served and their overall experience at the centre.
The minister reportedly expressed displeasure over the sanitation on the premises and asked officials concerned to ensure that due importance is given to cleanliness and food quality. He also asked the officials to immediately repair a broken dish-washing machine and ensure proper placement of dustbins at the centre.
Mahapatra asked authorities to take steps to involve women SHG members in the service to further improve the quality of food. He said the state government’s share in the subsidised food scheme is Rs 23 per meal which costs Rs 5 to the beneficiaries.