MP govt to provide food to labourers through mobile kitchens: CM Chouhan

The Madhya Pradesh government will open mobile kitchens where labourers can buy food at an affordable rate, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Saturday as he reiterated that meals are being provided at Rs 5 under the Deendayal Rasoi Yojana (DRY).

Chouhan launched the third phase of DRY under which kitchens are opened in the limits of 66 municipal councils in the state, where elections are due this year-end.

So far, meals have been provided to more than 2.25 crore people through these 166 kitchens.

Chouhan reiterated meals (food plate or thali) are being provided at Rs 5 instead of earlier Rs 10 under this scheme.

"Mobile kitchens will soon be opened in urban areas to provide meals at affordable rates to labourers near their workplaces. All urban bodies of the state will be covered under this scheme," the chief minister said.

He said kitchens will be opened in areas under 90 Nagar Panchayats with more than 20,000 population.

On the occasion, Chouhan virtually distributed land pattas (legal document on ownership of land) to 38,000 homeless people.

The chief minister also reiterated that colonies for the homeless poor would be developed on 23,000 acres of land, which was freed from land mafia encroachment.

Chouhan expressed concerns over inadequate rainfall and urged people to pray for rain.

"Dams are not filled and the power demand has been on the rise," the chief minister said, adding that necessary arrangements are being made.

Minister for Urban Development Bhuppendra Siingh said 2.25 crore people have benefited from Deendayal Rasoi Yojana.

The first phase of this scheme was launched in 2017, under which 56 kitchens were opened. In the second phase in 2021, the number of kitchens increased to 100. As many as 222 organisations are associated with this scheme.

Earlier, thali was made available at Rs 20 per plate but the rate was slashed to Rs 5 earlier this year.