Ahmedabad, Oct 16 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday launched 101 new centres under the ‘Shramik Annapurna Yojana’, expanding the subsidised meal scheme for construction workers to more districts across the state.
With the addition of the new facilities, the total number of operational meal distribution centres under the scheme has increased to 394 across all 34 districts of Gujarat, an official release stated.
Launched by the Gujarat Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board in 2017, ‘Shramik Annapurna Yojana’ offers construction workers and their family members nutritious meals at Rs 5 per person.
During the launch, the chief minister served meals to workers at the Annapurna Centre near Chanakyapuri Bridge in Ahmedabad, participated in voluntary community service, and informally interacted with the workers, the release said.
“Various public welfare programmes are being organised to mark 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public service, dedication and good governance. As part of the Shramik Annapurna Yojana, which aims to provide nutritious meals at affordable rates to construction workers and their families, these 101 new centres have been launched under the guiding principle of Seva Hi Sadhana (service as a form of devotion),” it said.
The centres were inaugurated in various districts in the presence of state ministers, MPs and MLAs.
According to the release, 293 Shramik Annapurna centres were previously operational in 20 districts, distributing an average of more than 35,000 meals daily. With the addition of the new centres, daily meal distribution is expected to increase by around 10,000, taking the total to approximately 45,000 meals a day.
(PTI News)
