On first day of Ramzan, 50,000 food kits distributed to poor families in Srinagar

india

Updated: Apr 25, 2020 17:32 IST

On the first day of Ramzan on Saturday, the administration in Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar distributed over 50,000 food kits to the needy.

The district administration has prepared 53,000 food kits containing rice, wheat, oil and spices to help in the district amid the lockdown imposed to contain coronavirus. Seventy-nine Covid-19 positive cases have been reported from the district so far.

Srinagar deputy commissioner Shahid Choudhary said the district administration has identified deserving families from across the district and that distribution of these kits amongst them has already started.

Each kit contains 5kg of rice and 2kg of wheat and a packet each of edible oil, tea and spices. “It will mostly be delivered to their doorstep. In some cases people collect from nearby locations,” he said.

The list of families was prepared on the appeal of the district call centre as well as local residents. “Our field staff assessed people on the ground,” he said.

The initiative has triggered demands among people that it should be started in other districts of the valley as well.

“We have deserving people in every district of the valley who have been struggling to feed their families. Kashmir was shut for months since August 5 last year which had already deteriorated the economic conditions of the people here and now this pandemic that has led to a double whammy,” said Mohammad Azfal, a resident of Baramulla in north Kashmir.

Kashmir divisional commissioner Pandurang K Pole said, “We have a large number of people associated with handicrafts and handlooms and a number of migrant labourers residing here. So we are especially focusing on Srinagar,” he said.