By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 2, 2015 :

In yet populist sop, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced a new programme called ‘Aahar’ to provide the poor in urban areas a lunch pack at Rs 5.

Taking a cue from Tamil Nadu’a ‘Amma Canteen,’ Patnaik is scheduled to launch the programme on April 1, 2015, on the eve of observation of Odisha Day, in five major cities of like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela.

The menu of the vegetarian meal comprises plain rice and Dalma (a combination of lentil and vegetables).

The meal would be made available at Aahar centres (canteen) at bus-stands, railway stations, district collectorate and hospitals in these five urban locations.

The decision to this regard was taken at a high level meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik here.

“The poor people visiting these cities can avail the Rs 5 a meal at these food joints during lunch time. The state government shall make necessary arrangement to provide food to at least 25,000 people each day,” said a release of Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

While the food supply and consumer welfare department and urban development department would provide necessary infrastructure, corporate houses would provide assistance and non-government organisations having experience in lunch programmes would manage the centres under the scheme, the CMO said.

The scheme would be extended to other urban areas in the coming years depending on the success of the scheme in the said cities, the release added.

The new sop will be a hit among the working urban poor. “These initiatives have been accused of being ‘populist’, but this model of providing affordable cooked food in urban areas ensure food security and also keep food prices in check,” an official said.