Shiv Sena to offer ₹10 meals at six centres across Maharashtra

Shiv Sena’s poll promise of a meal thali for ₹10 is expected to be fulfilled in six divisional areas across the state.

Shiv Sena’s poll promise of a meal thali for ₹10 is expected to be fulfilled in six divisional areas across the state.

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The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, headed by Uddhav Thackeray, has drafted a plan to launch a pilot project with 3,000 thalis, which will include two chapatis, vegetable and dal-rice in the first phase.

The state government has decided to constitute a committee headed by the chief secretary, comprising secretaries from urban development, finance, food and civil supplies departments.

The civil supplies department has prepared a plan for the initial launch of the scheme. The local urban bodies will be given the responsibility of appointing food joints and self-help groups for the implementation of the scheme at head headquarters of the six divisional commissionerates.

“We are expecting the thali to be served at ₹50, of which ₹40 will be borne by the government. Self-help groups active in the field of food supply or local food joints are expected to be appointed by the corporations to serve 500 thalis per day between 12 pm and 2pm,” said an official from Mantralaya.

He further added that the six centres in the first phase will be at the headquarters of the divisional commissionerates at Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Pune among others. “The proposal is soon expected to be placed before the cabinet in the next few days,” said the official.

According to officials, owing to the poor financial condition, the state government is unlikely to launch the scheme on a massive scale.

“We tried to tap the possibility of using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, but the scheme does not come under its purview. Though the food and civil supplies department has recommended launching the scheme at six areas in the state, the political leadership may widen its scope,” said a Shiv Sena leader who is privy to developments.

Shiv Sena had announced in its manifesto and the Dussehra rally of the party about the meal thali at ₹10 to be made available at 1000 food centres across the state. Shiv Sena’s local leaders have launched the meal thali initiative in some parts of the city after Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as chief minister of the MVA-led government.