RANCHI: With a large number of migrants coming home from other states to Jharkhand after losing their livelihood due to the lockdown, the authorities have decided to restart ‘Mukhya Mantri Didi Kitchen’ to help vulnerable families, particularly from among the tribal groups. The kitchens will provide free food to the poor and the needy living in rural areas.
According to officials, more than 4,000 Didi Kitchens will be started in the first phase which will also cater to the food requirement of the nearby Covid Care Centers. Notably, 6900 centres of the Didi Kitchen run by SHG women all over the State played a key role in feeding the poor and needy who lost their livelihood due to the lockdown imposed in the first wave of Covid-19 and served more than four crore meals. As many as 25,000 SHG women were involved, right from purchasing ration to cooking and serving the meals.
Labour Commissioner A Mutthu Kumar said that the Didi Kitchens are likely to become functional from the next week as the fund has been released for the same. “We have already released funds to the ‘Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society’ asking them to start at least one Didi Kitchen in each of the Panchayats,” Kumar said.