Ahead of Bengal polls, Mamata Banerjee launches affordable food scheme; price per meal just Rs 5

Ahead of Bengal polls, Mamata Banerjee launches affordable food scheme; price per meal just Rs 5

This is the West Bengal CM’s third big-ticket strategy targeting the poor

First, we had Tamil Nadu’s Amma Canteen, then Bengaluru’s Indira Canteen and now West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stepped up her poll game with the affordable food scheme under ‘Maa Kitchens’. Launched in the heat of election campaign in Bengal where the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to win the voters over, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the highly subsidised nutritious food canteen – where a full plate of rice, cooked vegetables, dal and an egg are available at just Rs 5 – as a tribute to all mothers.

Ahead of Bengal polls, Mamata Banerjee launches affordable food scheme; price per meal just Rs 5
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“This is the Maa Kitchen. We are proud of our Maa (mother). Wherever there is Maa, things will be good. We salute all mothers,” Banerjee said at the launch event in Kolkata.

This is the West Bengal CM’s third big-ticket strategy targeting the poor after the Duarey Sarkar (government services at door) scheme and Swasthya Sathi (health insurance). The service was launched on Sunday in Kolkata and districts such as Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur, Paschim Medinipur and Howrah. It will be expanded across the state. People will get the meal on a first-come-first-serve basis.

“The government will bear a subsidy of Rs 15 (per plate) while people will get it at Rs 5,” Banerjee said, adding that self-help groups will operate the kitchens from 1 pm to 3 pm every day. The state government has allotted Rs 1,000-crore for the scheme, the TMC supremo noted.

The Trinamool Congress had in September last year launched a similar initiative named — ‘Didir Rannaghar’ in the state to provide meals at Rs 5 to migrant workers who lost their jobs during the lockdown.

“This is a unique idea. We had announced this scheme in the budget and managed to launch it within eight days,” she said thanking officials of various departments for making it possible within such a short time.

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