BHUBANESWAR: The Housing and Urban Development department has partnered with Mission Shakti to run 167 Aahar centres through women self-help groups (WSHGs).
The State Aahar Society under the State Urban Development Agency that used to manage functioning of these centres will now support the WSHGs for maintenance of the facilities.
The department as part of its WSHG empowerment programme through community-driven urban initiatives has also inked pact with the Mission Shakti groups and Central Food Technology and Research Institute (CFTRI) to help the WSHGs manufacture pickles.
The pickles to be made by the WSHGs will be served with the Aahar meal at a subsidised rate of Rs 5. The initiative is being implemented after the WSHG members were on a two-day exposure visit to the CFTRI, Mysore for upgradation of their skill and capacity building.
Eleven members of WSHGs and Aahar Society had visited the centre recently where they learned the process of pickle manufacturing, food safety and hygiene standards to be followed and understanding of various machineries to be used in it.