Rice, dal, egg curry for ₹5, Mamata’s Maa scheme ahead of state polls
"This is a unique idea. We had announced this scheme in the budget and managed to launch it within eight days," she said thanking officials of various departments for making it possible within such a short time.
Ahead of the assembly elections in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday virtually launched the 'Maa' scheme under which her government would provide a meal at a nominal cost of ₹5 mainly to poor people. They will get a platter of rice, dal, a vegetable and egg curry for ₹5. "The government will bear a subsidy of ₹15 (per plate) while people will get it at ₹5," Banerjee said. Self-help groups will operate the kitchens from 1 pm to 3 pm every day and such kitchens will be set up everywhere in the state gradually, the chief minister said.
"I will go and taste it one day," Banerjee said. People will get the meal on a first-come-first-serve basis.
"This is a unique idea. We had announced this scheme in the budget and managed to launch it within eight days," she said thanking officials of various departments for making it possible within such a short time.
The state government has allotted ₹1,00-crore for the scheme, said Banerjee who is also the Trinamool Congress supremo. "It started on an experimental basis and there may be initial hiccups," Banerjee said.
On the first day, Maa kitchens started functioning at a few places in Kolkata and districts such as Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur, Paschim Medinipur and Howrah.
The ruling Trinamool Congress had in September last year launched a similar initiative named -- 'Didir Rannaghar' in the state to provide meals at ₹5 to migrant workers who lost their jobs during the lockdown.
The assembly election is due in the state in April- May.