The much-hyped subsidised Aahaar scheme for the urban poor was launched in the State on Wednesday on the occasion of the Utkal Divas. While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Rs5 per meal scheme at the Capital Hospital and Rourkela, Finance Minister Pradip Amat launched the facility at Burla in Sambalpur.
“The new Aahaar Yojana is an excellent scheme of our State Government to help poor people in the city. This is an excellent proof of our initiative,” said the Chief Minister after launching the scheme. He also distributed meals to the people at the Capital Hospital on the occasion.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Krishan Kumar said the Aahaar centres have been opened near the Capital Hospital, Baramunda Bus Stand, Mancheswar and Museum Square at Kalapana Square in the city as poor people from the nearby areas of Bhubaneswar come for daily wage labour and assemble at these places every day.
“Each centre has the provision of providing a square meal to 1,000 people at Rs 5 per each person. The meal, comprising rice, dalma and pickles is prepared sufficiently,” he added.
In Rourkela, Aahaar centres have been opened at the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), bus stand, Vedvyasa and Power House Road. In Cuttack, the scheme will be available at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Sishu Bhawan, Badambadi Bus Stand and the Malgodown.
The State Government has entrusted Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) to sponsor the scheme in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, while Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and Tata Steel would look after the scheme at Rourkela, Sambalpur and Brahmapur, respectively.