Disabled people in Hyderabad can now have fresh meals under Annapurna’s latest scheme

The Annapurna meal scheme started off by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has been launched exclusively for disabled and elderly people. Specially designed vehicles have already been introduced to send hot and fresh meals to disabled and elderly people from economically backward families in the city. The initiative has received praise.

A few years back, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) introduced the Annapurna meal scheme where fresh and healthy meals were served for Rs 5 for people from economically backward families. Officials had opened canteens across the city to serve the meals. But there were many disabled people who could not benefit from this scheme because they couldn’t come to Annapurna canteens owing to mobility issues. Officials have now started a mobile version of the meal scheme for both disabled and elderly people in the city. Specially-designed vehicles have been introduced for this latest initiative which has received a lot of applause from the disabled community in Telangana.

A novel initiative

GHMC tied up with Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation (HKMCF) to start this initiative which was flagged of earlier in March. Five vehicles were introduced for this purpose which will go around the city.

The initiative was formally launched by Animal Husbandry minister T Srinivas Yadav, GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and HKMCF President Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa.

Officials will ensure that hot and fresh meals are served to disabled and elderly people across Hyderabad city.

Serving fresh and healthy food

The Annapurna meal scheme was started over six years back. According to latest initiative for disabled people, officials started off by serving 50 people on a daily basis. According to reports, this will be expanded to over 1200 people per day very soon.

Hopefully, this initiative will reach out to many disabled and elderly people in the city who are impossible to make ends meet. Mayor Bonthu Rammohan told The New Indian Express, “Till date, no complaints have been received about the canteens. It shows how they are providing nutritious food”.

Though this initiative has received praise, members from the disabled community feels there is much more to be done.

Vasundhara Koppula, a disability rights activist from Telangana says, “I do not feel this as a great initiative. That is because most disabled and elderly people live in hostels or under care of family members. Nobody leaves a disabled or elderly person to live alone. Most of them can afford three meals a day. Such a facility will be helpful to bed-ridden disabled people in places like hospitals. But the numbers are meagre”.

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