Saadi Rasoi running out of steam

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 28

Battling financial constraints, Saadi Rasoi, which was started by the Aan Jal Sewa Trust with the help of the district administration at Civil Hospital here, is passing through hard times. It provides meals to the poor at Rs 10.

It has become difficult for the trust to run its affairs post Goods and Service Tax (GST) regime. The scheme had to be shut down at Civil Hospital, Jagraon, two months ago due to a shortage of funds. If things go the same way, the scheme at the local Civil Hospital can also meet the same fate.

When the Rasoi was started here, it daily received nearly 300 people. Now, the number has risen to nearly 400-450 people. Meals at the price of Rs 10 are provided from 1 pm to 3 pm. While the number of visitors to the Rasoi has increased, funds have dwindled. Now, it gets no help from the district administration.

Things have come to such a pass that instead of using LPG cylinders for cooking, the trust is cooking meals on wood. Shiv Ram Saroye, president of the Aan Jal Sewa Trust, an NGO, said things had become really difficult, especially after the GST regime. Donations have gone down while footfall has increased. Besides, the cost of daily items and labour has increased, he said.

“Earlier, donations were exempted from income tax. But now, we have to take the Aadhaar card and mobile number of donors and issue them slips. People are reluctant in sharing the Aadhaar details. Donations have dwindled to very minimal,” he said.

Besides, the prices of essential kitchen items have increased after the implementation of the GST system. “Now, both state GST and Central GST are applicable which has led to a substantial increase in the prices of essential goods. It has become difficult to manage the things,” he added. He also added that the cost of labour has also gone up and they demand advance payment as well. Left with no other option, they have decreased the number of workers employed at the kitchen. 

Saroye said apart from patients, their relatives and attendants also had meals at the Rasoi. We also provide nutritious porridge to newborn babies’ mothers. Addicts admitted to the hospital need rich diet. 

The Rasoi uses commercial LPG cylinders which costs Rs 1,300 each. When the cylinder cannot be arranged due to financial constraints, cooking is done on wood. 

“An LPG cylinder gets finished in two days. Sometimes it becomes impossible to arrange a new cylinder for want of funds. Many times we have to cook food on wood,” said Saroye. 

“We will take into account the cost per thali, which actually costs us anything between Rs 20 and Rs 22. But we are still providing it for Rs 10 because the aim of setting up the Rasoi is to serve the poor,” he added.

People sometimes have to wait for nearly three hours for their turn. A visitor, Phoolmati said she had been waiting for her turn for the past one and a half hours. “But food at Rs 10 was worth waiting for. I came to see a doctor in the morning and could not cook the meal at home. So, I had my lunch here which was tasty and nutritious as well,” she said.