With an eye to counter demonetisation, Delhi govt offers free food at 10 shelters

The Delhi government on Monday started providing free food at 10 night shelters in the capital with an aim to help the poor and homeless counter the impact of demonetisation.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Urban Development Minister Satyendra Jain launched the facility of providing three meals per day to the needy at North Delhi's Dandi park shelter.

Launching the initiative here, Sisodia said that due to demonetisation of high currency notes, no one will be a victim of starvation.

He said the facility has been launched in order to insulate the poor and homeless from the effects of demonetisation that has reportedly led to many people dying in bank queues while a few others also committing suicide.

Among the shelters where such food centres will operate are at Geeta Ghat, Yamuna Pushta, Dandi Park, Jama Masjid, Sarai Kale Khan, Nizamuddin Nila Gumbad, Sarai Phoos, Jhandewalan shelter 1, Kotla Mubarakpur and Fatehpuri near Old Delhi railways station.

At present, night shelters provide free tea and rusk to their inmates in the breakfast.

Recently, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had asked Jain to ensure that lunch and dinner are also provided in the capital's night shelters and to those living in the immediate vicinity, who in need of food.