Food bank to provide free aid to the underprivileged

Facility on Kamaraj Salai is the first of many planned in the State

December 26, 2016 07:52 am | Updated 07:52 am IST - PUDUCHERRY:

Ensuring sustenance:  Revenue Minister M.O.H.F. Shahjahaan distributes a food packet to an old woman.

Ensuring sustenance: Revenue Minister M.O.H.F. Shahjahaan distributes a food packet to an old woman.

In an effort to feed the underprivileged in Puducherry, the United World Halal Development has opened a food bank near Balaji Theatre.

The facility on the premises of Hotel Devi on Kamaraj Salai is similar to food banks opened in Bengaluru recently and will provide free food for the poor and hungry.

Launching the food bank, Minister for Industries and Commerce M.O.H.F. Shahjahaan said that this was an endeavour to make Puducherry a hunger-free city.

The leftover food from hotels and food donations would be kept at the bank for the impoverished. Mohamed Jinna, Chairman, United World Halal Development, Singapore, recalled that Puducherry had hosted the World Halal Day in 2014. “This initiative aims to create a clean and green city and make Puducherry a hunger-free city by 2030. There should not be any poor on the street wanting for food. The concept of a food bank is to provide free food for the needy,” he said.

He added that they would work with non-governmental organisations and government bodies to establish more food banks here. “At present, this bank can provide food for nearly 500 people per day. This is also an effort to reduce food waste. The excess food from the hotel would now be used to feed the poor,” he said.

Mr. Jinna added that more food banks would be opened in another year. “We are planning to start such facilities on Anna Salai, Nehru Street, the new bus stand and the railway station. We have to identify partners ,” he said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the programme, Mr. Shahjahaan said that several food processing units had come forward to set up units in Puducherry.

“We received several applications from different industries after the new industrial policy was released. We have to form a high-level committee and issue a notification after which the applications will be scrutinised. A single-window clearance system will be set up for that,” he added.

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