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Pune Municipal Corporation to distribute ration kits to 70,000 families in containment zones
The door-to-door distribution of the kits will begin from Saturday. Each ration kit contains grocery worth Rs 800
In a bid to limit the movement of people in containment zones, the Pune Municipal Corporation will distribute ration kits to 70,000 families in the containment zones, an official said.
According to Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol, the main reason for the covid spread is that people form slum areas venture out to purchase essential items. Another source of the spread is community toilets.
“To control the citizens’ movement in containment zones, we decided to give free ration kits. The door-to-door distribution of the kits will begin from Saturday. Each ration kit contains grocery worth Rs 800. These kits will have the PMC logo on it,” said Mohol.
“We want people in the containment zones to stay indoors and not venture out even to buy essentials. We will distribute one lakh ration kits to 70,000 families in these areas,” municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.
These kits will contain five kg of flour, three kg of rice, pulses, oil and other essential items that can last up to a week. Along with the kit, masks and sanitisers are also being distributed, he said.
Mohol said that all the elected members contributed Rs 10 lakh from their ward development fund for this cause. The MLAs and MPs also contributed from their respective funds.
“Earlier, the administration did not permit us to distribute kits free to a large population, but, as elected members we forced the administration to supply kits in every home as it would help curb the spread, said Mohol.”
“The PMC has asked grocery shop owners to supply these kits at a fixed rate along with the packaging at a fixed rate. Instead of floating a tender for this initiative, the PMC is directly purchasing goods from open market as there is time constraint. Community workers and civic employees will distribute these kits,” added Mohol.
