BENGALURU: To put the skills of street food vendors to the best use, members of the civil society and researchers have proposed a model to the state government, wherein these vendors will be employed at community kitchens to feed the needy.
While the government has given contracts to different companies for cooked food production, the Bengaluru Jilla Beedhi Vyapari Sanghatanegala Okkuta, a registered federation of street vendors, proposed that community kitchens also be set up to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. This way, not only do the vendors get to eat fresh food, but also get an income during the crisis.
The federation has proposed that this model, which is being followed in other sates, be implemented in all wards in Bengaluru, piloting it in two wards before it is implemented everywhere else.Volunteers, who are distributing food demand a food security system.
“On a regular day, street vendors dish out few lakh meals. Now, they help the government run community kitchens,” said Vinay K Sreenivasa, member of NGO Naavu Bharateeyaru.
Cooked meals are also crucial for those sending their children to anganwadis. Since anganwadis are shut and parents have extra mouths to feed, community kitchens will benefit a range of people.