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Bhubaneswar, March 12: The government has reportedly sought the help of corporate houses to roll out the recently announced food scheme for the poor — Aahar.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had a few days ago announced the scheme under which the poor would be provided a meal for Rs 5. The scheme is to be implemented in the five municipal corporation areas of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela from April 1.
The government expects to incur an expenditure of Rs 20 per meal, leaving a difference of Rs 15 between the cost of providing the meal and the money received from each consumer. The government expects to make up this difference with money from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and aid from corporate houses as part of their CSR activity.
The state has approached Tata Steel, Nalco, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, Orissa Mining Corporation and Steel Authority of India Ltd (Rourkela Steel Plant) to provide financial assistance to the scheme.
“This initiative requires financial support from corporate bodies out of their CSR fund to support one time capital expenditure to meet part of the infrastructure cost, such as vehicles to carry food, utensils, dish washer, generator set, uniforms for the staff, which comes to about Rs 16 lakh per outlet,” housing and urban development secretary G Mathivathanan wrote to corporate houses.
Funds to meet the capital expenditure and recurring cost of
three months in advance may be considered to be provided to respective implementing NGO, Mathivathanan said.
Under the initiative, hot cooked meals (rice and ‘dalma’) will be served from 11 am to 3 pm everyday targeting 1,000 urban poor from each Aahaar outlet, sources said.
The government has decided to open Aahar centres (canteens) at places such as bus stands, railway stations, courts and hospitals in these five urban locations.
