Appeal to social bodies to donate for ‘Sanjhi Rasoi’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 24

The district administration has appealed to philanthropists and social organisations to come forward to donate funds for the proposed ‘Sanjhi Rasoi’ for the poor at which meals would be served at Rs 10 per head.

After a meeting with officials and members of various organisations, Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said as per the initial calculations, it would cost Rs 17 for a meal for one person.

He stated that though the poor would be able to have food at Rs 10 per plate, the additional Rs 7 required towards the cost would be generated through donations.

Sangha said the food would be made available at counters set up near hospitals, the bus stand, the railway station, focal points and other such places, which would be identified over the next few days. He said though langar is served at gurdwaras, poor people in the city who work as labourers cannot reach their every day due to distances.

The Deputy Commissioner said that models of such kitchens already running at Ludhiana and Chandigarh have been studied to work out the costs. Moved by the appeal of the Deputy Commissioner, a commission agent at Bhilowal grain market presented Rs 1 lakh on behalf all commission agents in the market.

Bhagatawala Arhtiya Association president Narinder Behal and Rice Millers Association Jandiala’s president Surjit Singh Kang also presented Rs 50,000 each on behalf of their associations.

Sangha said other organisations that want to contribute can also contact the district administration. The ‘Sanjhi Rasoi’ would be managed by the Red Cross Society. Earlier, a senior official of the administration, Vikas Hira, had studied the model of already running such projects to plan a viable option.

The district administration plans to transport the cooked food to all the stalls set up by it as per the needs of the poor. The administrative officials stated that the focus would be on providing nutritious, hygienic and tasty food to the buyers.