11 Aahar centres await own buildings

BERHAMPUR: EVEN as Ganjam has at least 23 Aahar centres serving rice and ‘dalma’ to people at a paltry `5 per meal, 11 such centres in the notified area councils (NACs) do not have permanent buildings yet.  These centres operate from small rented structures which leads to crowding during peak hours.  
Of the 23 Aahar centres, six are located under Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) limits and one each in Purushottampur, Kabisuryanagar, Ganjam, Khallikote, Sorada, Rambha, Chikiti, Kodala, Polsara, Buguda and Belaguntha NACs.

Launched on April 1, 2015, although `20 lakh each was sanctioned for construction of permanent buildings for the centres, the work is far from over.District Rural Development Agency Project Director Sudam Charan Mandal said construction of many  permanent Aahar centres is underway. “Construction is in the final stage at Purushottampur, Buguda and Belaguntha while land has been finalised for the Aahar centres at Ganjam and Kodala. But work in these two NACs is yet to start due to some legal issues”, he informed.

The 23 Aahar centres provide rice and ‘dalma’ to 10,600 people daily between 11 am and 3 pm and two of these centres at the MKCG MCH and Bhanjanagar also provide dinner.
The six centres under BeMC cover only 4,500 people on a daily basis. An NGO, Manna Trust, prepares meal at Berhampur and Bhanjanagar and provides it to all the 23 centres.
While food prepared at Bhanjanagar is sent to Buguda, Belaguntha, Sorada and Bhanjanagar centres, Aahar is provided to other centres from the Manna Trust kitchen in Berhampur.