The Telangana government has decided to continue Annapurna Canteens for the poor in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits and also in several districts, in the wake of loss of livelihood to thousands of people on account of lockdown due to Coronavirus scare.
Hitherto, food was being served to the poor at these canteens at the rate of Rs 5 per plate only during the lunch. After the announcement of lockdown, the government ordered that the canteens serve the food to the poor free of cost.
Now, the latest order is that the GHMC serve free dinner to the poor through these centres from Saturday night to help the needy during the lockdown.
Since Thursday, free meals are being offered at all 150 Annapurna centres across the city during lunch time. On Saturday, about 30,000 meals were offered through these centres till late afternoon.
Now, the municipal corporation is gearing up to launch free dinner service through these centres at around 7 pm from tonight.
To begin with, the service will be launched at 50 centres and based on the demand, it will be extended to other centres, said a senior official from GHMC.
To avoid congregation of people at the centres, special measures were being taken to dispose the food faster, besides ensuring sanitation.
These 50 centres for dinner service have been identified based on the demand from visitors, especially daily wage workers, hostel inmates and others.
In a bid to ensure more people get benefited through the service, the municipal corporation is setting up makeshift centres near basthis for daily wage earners and also in areas where hostel are located.
Similar facilities are being planned in other municipalities in the state, the officials said.
Andhra Pradesh, too, has announced supply of rice and other essentials to the doorsteps of the people through village volunteers’ system. But there are no Annapurna canteens in AP unlike in Telangana.
If the Jagan government does not want to reopen the Anna canteens started by the previous TDP government, it will be better it can start community food centres in major centres at least now.
