After the success of Annapurna Rs 5 meals programme, which completed a cumulative of four crore meal plates, the Telangana State Government launched mobile Annapurna canteens to offer meals at the doorsteps of senior citizens and physically challenged in the city. GHMC will be feeding 50 beneficiaries and in the days to come it will be extended to 1200 beneficiaries every day.
Under a pilot project, the mobile canteens were launched to deliver meals packed in hot packs and transported in specially designed vehicles. Initially, GHMC will feed 50 beneficiaries and in the days to come it will be extended to 1,200 beneficiaries every day.
GHMC will deploy one such Mobile Annapurna canteen in each zone. GHMC Khairatabad zone has already identified the beneficiaries based on the pensions list and other means. The mobile canteens were flagged by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar here on Monday.
There are many bedridden, physically challenged or aged persons, who cannot reach the Annapurna centres. The idea is to offer meals to such people at their doorsteps, he said.
It was the vision and support of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that led to the success of this programme. While rest of the country is reeling under recession impact, due to his vision, Telangana’s tax revenues had been positive, he added.
Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav said it was a great achievement that this initiative of launching Annapurna Rs 5 meals completed six years and served four crore meals. In tune with the success of these centres, the mobile canteens would also be a big hit in the city, he said.
Mayor Bonthu Rammohan said the Hare Krishna Movement (HKM) was providing high quality and healthy food. All these years, there was not a single complaint over the quality or other aspects and ensured that many people got the benefit, these centres were opened near hospitals, working places of labourers and study centres.
The president of HKM, Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa said impressed with Telangana Government’s initiative, many other States, including Odisha, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra had established similar centres.
At present, 45,000 people have been relishing sumptuous meals at 176 centres across the State every day and under GHMC, close to 35,000 people have been having their lunch at 150 centres. #KhabarLive