Sandeep Dwivedy
Post News Network
Cuttack, April 14: Roadside eateries and small time hoteliers here are a dejected lot as they feel that the Aahar scheme, launched by the state government to provide Rs 5-a-meal to poor, is hitting their business hard.
Sanjay Sahu, a street vendor of Badambadi area, said, “Earlier, people used to have dahivada aludam in the afternoon as lunch but after introduction of Aahar scheme people are having lunch for Rs 5 instead of spending Rs 20 for dahivada aludam.” He added that if the situation persists, then he would have to shift his base to some other part of the city.
In Cuttack, people have dahivada aludam both as breakfast and lunch. Hence the street vendors selling this popular item are the worst hit.
“The footfall has been reduced substantially in the last 10 days since the scheme kicked off. We fear that the `5 meal scheme will be the death knell for our business as we have to pay house rent, electricity bill, wages which comprise a large chunk of our turnover. God knows how long we can survive with the business as most food vendors and hoteliers are incurring losses due to the introduction of the scheme,” said Pravata Nayak, a hotelier.
However, the situation is not the same in other areas where the Aahar centres have been opened like Malgodown and Sishu Bhawan.
