Context :
Maha Vikas Aghadi govt’s Shiv Bhojan Thali scheme under review / Indian Express / 26 Sept 2022
Extract :
The state government has placed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s flagship Shiv Bhojan Thali scheme under review and stayed its decision to increase the number of plates until the Cabinet takes a final call on the scheme’s future.
State’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ravindra Chavan [ stmin.itnfcs@maharashtra.gov.
told The Indian Express on Sunday that a comprehensive review of the implementation of the scheme is necessary.
“It is a good scheme. But it needs to be checked whether intended beneficiaries are actually gaining from it.
A digital watch [ through a mobile application ], on every plate that is being consumed, will be kept and at the same time the scheme will be reviewed,” he said.
“The decision on its future implementation will be taken by the cabinet,” he said.
The Shiv Bhojan Thali scheme provided a thali meal :
# in urban areas for Rs 50 and
# rural areas for Rs 35.
The eateries sell the thali to people at Rs 10 and the government pays the remaining charges.
According to data as on September 24, Maharashtra has a total of 1,699 eateries of which 1,549 serve Shiv Bhojan thalis.
The number of approved thalis in the state is 1,88,463 but the number of actual plates distributed is 1,45,591.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Maharashtra government had slashed the price of thali to Rs 5 and then from April 2021, it was given for free and even parcel service was allowed.
As the pandemic was brought under control and lockdown was lifted in phase-wise manner, the price was again made Rs 10.
Dear Shri Ravindra Chavanji,
While reviewing, please keep in mind following points :
# In past 2 years, millions have lost their jobs during COVID – with little of getting re-employed
# Every year, to our work-force, we are adding 12 million youth – with no jobs for most
# As a Society, even if we are unable to give them jobs or self-employment, we have a moral obligation to
ensure that no citizen goes to bed hungry – whatever the cost
# No poor hungry person , standing in a queue for food, must be humiliated by demanding “ identity “
In this context, I urge you to go through my following earlier e-mails :
Ø Community Kitchen ? Never too late !........................... [ 01 Dec 2021 ]
Extract :
Dear Secretaries :
While drafting your Community Kitchen Scheme , irrespective of its proposed structure, I urge you to incorporate the following provisions :
Ø Hungry person who queues up to collect COUPONS or FOOD PACKET, will NOT be asked ANY QUESTION, whatsoever . Please do not HUMILIATE a poor hungry human !
Ø He / she will not be asked :
# Domicile – Nationality – Name – Address – any Identity Card /
Document – Community – Religion –Caste –Age – whether employed /
jobless etc
Ø Although you may recommend installation of a FACIAL RECOGNITION system at each kitchen, it will be for the sole purpose of keeping count ( of the numbers served each lunch / dinner ) and to avoid DUPLICATE issues to same person.
Ø No beneficiary will be allowed to take the FOOD PACKET, outside the kitchen. It must be consumed inside the kitchen’s Dining Area only
Ø However, your scheme should provide for taking home the Food Packets, in cases of OLD-SICK-INVALID-BED RIDDEN, poor humans who just cannot walk up to the nearest kitchen. In such cases, relative / family member / friend or an NGO volunteer may be allowed to take out the food packet, after entering full “ SICK BENEFICIARY DATA “ in a centrally computerized system
Ø Supreme Fails to Speak : Because no one is Listening ?.......... [ 22 July 2022 ]
Extract :
The Supreme Court on Thursday while hearing a matter relating to migrant labourers remarked that no citizen should die of hunger and said that it was most concerning that there were deaths due to hunger.
When the court was apprised that a large number of migrant workers are without ration cards, the bench of justices MR Shah and BV Nagarathna said, “no citizen should die of hunger and it is most concerning that there were deaths due to hunger.”
The court further observed that in villages and in marginalised communities people tie a tight cloth around their stomachs to suppress their hunger pangs.
I am surprized ( and shocked ) that the Supreme Court failed to ask the Government :
“ Even if you manage to issue ration cards to those 10 Crore poor people, do they
have money to buy that subsidized ration ?
We think, millions among those 10 crore, just don’t have money to buy ration
A few who may have the money to buy ration, do not have money to buy LPG
cylinder or even chopped wood
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT DIE DUE TO HUNGER ?
Some 6 months ago, we had asked you to come up within 3 weeks, a :
National Policy on Community Kitchens
Your Food Ministry even formed a committee of Food Secretaries from 8 States to
frame such a policy
Since then, we have heard nothing from you in this matter
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 27 Sept 2022
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