Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched a food distribution programme for the homeless living in Government shelter homes across the city.
The programme to distribute free food was launched from a shelter home complex at Sarai Kale Khan in association with the Akshaya Patra Foundation — a non-Government organisation.
Kejriwal emphasised on how the Delhi Government has completely transformed the state of these shelters and made them habitable as is the duty of a sensitive and responsible government. The Urban Development Minister of Delhi Satyendar Jain and the Chairman of the Akshaya Patra Foundation Madhu Pandit Dasa were also present at the launch.
Speaking on the occasion, Jain informed the gathering that meals were being provided at the shelters since the onset of the pandemic and will now be permanently provided twice a day in collaboration with Akshaya Patra.
The chief minister said “The poorest of the poor people reside in the shelter homes operated by the Delhi Government. They are those people who are forced to sleep on roads and footpaths. They come to the shelter homes to protect themselves from the harsh weather and get a place to sleep. These people do not make up the vote-bank of any political party. After taking charge of the Delhi Government the first thing we focused on was the improvement of the shelter homes.”
“The government has transformed the condition of the shelter homes in the past 6-7 years. We had to even arrange for beds and living utilities. Along with the minister, I myself inspected many shelter homes. One can understand when the CM himself inspects the shelter homes then the entire bureaucratic machinery is compelled to work on the ground and improve the projects,” he added.
“At present, the condition of the shelters is very good. As many as 209 shelter homes across the city are serving 6,000 people right now and around 12,000 people reside in them in the winters. In the last 6-7 years, you would not have seen any news about the High Court scolding the Delhi Government over the shelters,” the CM said.