Soon, food for Rs 10 at 5 more locations

Charu Chhibber

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29

In less than a month since the launch of the Annapurna Akshaypatra Yojana, a project initiated by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), UT Branch, Chandigarh, the number of meals being sold every day has reached up to 1,500 and the number of locations is now six. The scheme was launched on January 2 with 665 food packets being sold at five locations. And as usual, the food is being sold out at all six designated sale points within a few minutes.

Keeping in view the overwhelming support the scheme has received and the ever-soaring demand for the reasonably priced food, the authorities have decided to extend the scheme. Soon, the food will be sold at five more locations, informed officials of the IRCS.

Rice will soon be added to the menu, which means once or twice a day, the food will comprise rice with vegetables instead of chapattis and vegetable as is the current practice, informed Sushil Taak, training supervisor, Red Cross Society, who is actively involved in the scheme. The variation was being planned to provide wholesome and nutritious food to the masses, said IRCS officials.

In order to facilitate easy transportation of food to all locations, the Indian Oil Corporation has donated five vans procured at a cost of Rs 20 lakh on January 15 towards the cause.

Notably, on the occasion of Lohri, Member of Parliament Kirron Kher had extended the scheme to include Labour Chowk, Sector 44, under the scheme so as to provide hygienic and wholesome food at low prices to local residents.

The IRCS has initiated the project with active support of the Health Department, the Labour Department, the Food and Supplies Department, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Sewa Bharti, Chandigarh, the Panchkula Gaushala Trust, Panchkula, and the Market Committee, UT, Chandigarh.