Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday launched the second phase of the Aahaar scheme at a function at the Indoor Stadium in Cuttack dedicating 100 new Aahaar centres to the public on the occasion.
With the launch of the second phase of the scheme, the Government aims to provide subsidised meal at a cost of Rs5 to 60,000 people.
While five new Aahaar centres have come up in Bhubaneswar, four more have been opened in Cuttack.
The Chief Minister said, “The Aahaar scheme has now been extended to all the districts of the State. More than 60,000 people can be served lunch in these centres.”
“The Government started the Aahaar scheme last year for the convenience of thousands of people visiting the towns of the State. These centres have become very popular. That is why we have extended it to all the districts. Food quality, cleanliness and safe water would be of highest importance in these centres,” he added.
The scheme is now sponsored by the Odisha Mining Corporation in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, the Odisha Power Generation Corporation in Rourkela and the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation in Sambalpur. The Tata Steel has supported the scheme in Brahmapur and Adani in Bhadrak.
Aahaar centres provide cooked lunch comprising rice and dalma between 11 am and 3 pm at specific locations. The scheme was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on April 1, 2015 in five cities, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Sambalpur and Rourkela in the first phase.