The State Government on Saturday decided to extend the Rs5-per meal scheme Aahar to all the 30 districts.
The cheap lunch scheme is currently available at 21 locations in five cities of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Brahmapur and Rourkela. Nearly 22,000 people are getting the rice-and-dalma meal daily from these centres, which are mainly opened near hospitals, bus-stands and railway stations.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who reviewed the scheme on Saturday directed the District Collectors to implement this scheme at District Headquarters Hospitals and industrial townships in a phased manner.
Focusing on cleanliness at the Aahar centres and provision for supply of clean drinking water, Patnaik directed to set up a society for smooth operation of the scheme.
As per the decision, while the proposed State-level society would be set under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, the district-level societies would be headed by Collectors.
The scheme would be implemented with financial assistance from funding agencies.
“With the help of eligible funding agencies the scheme will be implemented in each district headquarters and industrial town. The Chief Minister has directed for development of infrastructure like water facilities, CCTV camera for surveillance, facilities for handicapped people, among others, at the exiting Aahar outlets. This will be done soon,” said Urban Development minister Pushpendra Singh Deo.
Besides Singh Deo, Chief Secretary GC Pati and many senior officials attended the review meeting.