Hyderabad: Over nine crore people have been provided food with the ‘Rs 5 per meal’ through the Annapurna meals scheme till May this year after the initiative was started in 2014 in the city.
The subsidised meal programme was launched in 2014 with eight centres together with the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) through Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation.
The food scheme is being implemented in 150 centres in the city providing meals to about 45,000 people on a daily basis.
A total of 9,67,53,612 (upto May this year) people have been provided with meals through the Annapurna food scheme since 2014, an official release said here on Sunday.
“Further, a decision has been taken to establish seating Annapurna canteens (with seating arrangements) for convenience of the public. In the first phase, 32 locations have been identified at each of the Circle of GHMC to establish ‘Seating Annapurna Canteens’,” it said.
The objective of Annapurna food scheme is to provide affordable and hygienic food, it said. Each meal consists of rice (400 grams), sambar (120 grams), a vegetable curry (100 grams) and pickle (15 grams).
During the first COVID-19 induced lockdown period, Annapurna meals were supplied totally free of cost in GHMC limits.
The Annapurna meals were provided across 373 centres including mobile Annapurna during lunch and in 259 centres including mobile Annapurna during dinner time, it said adding the total meals served during 2020-21 was 2,29,46,080, the release added.
—PTI

Press Trust of India