KOCHI: Lately, news and social media have been abuzz with the controversy regarding the quality of the Rs 20 lunch being served at the Janakeeya hotels of Kudumbashree. But Kochiites don’t need to think too much about this, as they can now get low budget meals - lunch at Rs 10 - on Thursdays at Kochi Corporation’s special hotels named ‘Samruddhi at Kochi’, under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission.
Samruddhi at Kochi serves healthy food at a minimum cost to those in need. The special kitchen will function at Libra Hotel under the corporation on North Paramara Road, Kaloor. The hotel was designed by students and faculty of SCMS School of Architecture, who also provided kitchen utensils.
Though the controversy regarding the lunch packets sold by a Janakeeya hotel in Kozhikode gave mileage for the corporation’s new project, Mayor M Anilkumar says it was a mere coincidence. “We couldn’t have arranged this in a day or two. But yes, that news helped us get some traction for Samruddhi,” he quips. Actor Manju Warrier inaugurated the venture on Thursday evening.
The mayor added that the kitchen can serve around 1,500 to 2,000 people initially and the number would increase in the future. The project was announced in the last budget. Muthoot group provided necessary modern machinery for the kitchen. Many people and organisations are now coming forward offering donations for the hotel.
Ernakulam has 106 Janakeeya hotels that provide lunch starting from Rs 20 per packet. Fourteen members from two units of Kudumbashree, registered under the corporation are running the kitchen. This is the 10th unit of the Janakeeya hotel in the corporation. “Janakeeya hotels charge Rs 20 per lunch packet. Samruddhi is a project taken up by the corporation with the support of corporate social responsibility funds of many organisations,” said Renjini S, district coordinator of Kudumbashree.
Hunger saviours
Ernakulam has 106 Janakeeya hotels that provide lunch starting from Rs 20 per packet. Fourteen members from two units run the kitchen.