Bhubaneswar: Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra paid a surprise visit to the Aahar Kendra at Capital Hospital premises today.
Minister Mahapatra bought a coupon and ate the food alongside the people. He interacted with diners and enquired about the quality of the food and their overall experience at the Aahar Kendra.
Mahapatra emphasized the importance of cleanliness and food quality at the Aahar Kendra. He ordered for immediate repair of a broken dishwashing machine.
Addressing the media, the Minister confirmed that the Aahar Yojana will continue, as it serves the public’s interest. He hinted that a review of the scheme’s name might be conducted in the future.
Highlighting the state government’s commitment to providing nutritious food in a clean and healthy environment, Mahapatra stressed the importance of serving the poor with dignity.
He advised for involving self-supporting women in the service to improve the quality further, considering the rising costs. The Minister pointed out that the government subsidizes the meals, with the state paying ₹23 and people paying ₹5.
Launched in April 2015 on the day of Utkal Dibasa, the affordable cooked food scheme currently operates 168 centres in 115 urban areas of the state. All centres and kitchens are ISO-certified and GEO-linked, with 61 centres offering night meals. The scheme supplies one lakh meals daily. Mahapatra also instructed officials to maintain cleanliness and ensure proper placement of dust bins at the centre.
