In a massive effort undertaken by the RSS through its service and environment wing, the Janakalyan Samiti and the Keshav Srushti My Green Society respectively, over one lakh people in the city of Mumbai are being served food daily for the past week.

Named “Annapurna Yojana”, the scheme is being implemented in 24 wards of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wherein around 1.2 lakh people are being served hot cooked meals twice a day through 17 community kitchens.

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The food cooked at these kitchens is being served through different channels.

The BMC collects 40,000 food packets from these kitchens every day to serve its own staff and the medicos and police engaged in emergency services and to serve the homeless, labourers and the migrants.

Another 60,000 food packets are distributed through the RSS network of non-governmental organisations (NGO), voluntary organizations (VO) and community organizations (CO) at various underprivileged localities across the city while around 20,000 food packets are given to daily wagers in the city.

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“As soon as the lockdown was announced Swayamsevaks contacted the BMC officials to understand their needs. The decision to start community kitchens was taken when the officials said that arranging food for their staff would the biggest burden for them. Also, cooked food will be needed for migrant labour and slum dwellers, they said. Within hours, the first three community kitchens went operational,” said Vishal Tibrewal, a member of the Keshav Srushti My Green Society, who is currently coordinating the operations of these kitchens.

Around 7,000 RSS Swayamsevaks are currently engaged in running these kitchens and distribution of the food.