There is plenty of food for everyone in Bhopal. In the heart of city, one can have full meal in just Rs 20. Away from the political claims and counter claims about Rs 12 per meal, there are eateries in Bhopal and elsewhere that are providing quality food for just Rs 20.
A meal consisting of puris, dal and a vegetable is served to every customer. After having consumed this, they are free to take more till they are fully satisfied. Around a month ago, the Planning Commission had come out with the definition of poor in urban and rural India. It stated that people whose consumption of goods exceeds Rs 33 rupees in cities and Rs 27.20 per day in villages are not considered poor. The report also found the number of people living below the poverty line has shrunk to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 on account of increase in per capita consumption. Also, rural poverty has declined faster than urban poverty.
Subsequently, former Union Minister Rasheed Masood and Congress Spokesman Raj Babbar fell in controversy by saying that food is available for Rs 12 and Rs 5 respectively. Then the BJP and Aam Admi Party (AAP) used this for counter claims that a substantial meal would not cost Rs 50 or less. They cited the seasons behind this as soaring prices of almost every commodity including vegetables.
The vegetables including potatoes and onions are so costly that the citizens are in dilemma as how to cook food. Almost all the vegetables are sold at the rate of Rs 40 to Rs 80 per kg in Bhopal’s market. The food-stall functioning near Nehru Nagar locality of Bhopal on two hand-carts, is selling ‘full-stomach’ meal for Rs 20 per head for the past one and a half year. The shop owner, Narendra Yadav says that he serves around 60 customers per day.
He says that he was a daily-wage labourer earlier and has got enough by owning this shop. When asked as how he manages to cater food in such a low cost, he says that there is no problem at all. “I buy flour from the nearby grocery shop and purchase vegetables from mandi,” he said, adding that he does not wish to earn more. Yadav also sells samosa and other snacks that too in comparative rates and he has employed five persons.