BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Wednesday resumed Aahar service in the City. The cheap meal scheme, which was stopped after cyclone Fani hit the City on May 3, was started in all 11 Aahar centres. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) had drawn flak from various quarters for failing to run the service, which provides cheap meals (cooked rice and dal) at just Rs 5 when people needed it the most.
While only some Aahar centres were damaged in the City, the civic body closed all the facilities including those which had been spared by the cyclone. BMC claimed that all the centres had to be closed since the central kitchen at Nakhara, from where food was supplied to these facilities, had sustained extensive damage in the cyclone.
Poor people visiting the Capital for various works as well as slum dwellers, who depend on the cheap meal scheme, faced a lot of inconvenience after the closure of the centres.
BMC officials said Aahar centres have been reopened on Wednesday and meals were provided to around 8,000 people at a subsidised rate. The meals were served between 11 am and 3 pm.
The officials said night service at these centres has not yet been started due to ongoing restoration work.