JOIN USRajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Thursday opened a chain of subsidised kitchens, taking inspiration from Tamil Nadu’s Amma canteens.
The Rajasthan government’s Annapurna Rasoi offers breakfast at Rs 5 and meals at Rs 8. These kitchens are mounted on vans, and can travel anywhere.
With Assembly elections to be held in two years, Vasundhara follows in the footsteps of J Jayalalithaa, the just-departed Tamil Nadu chief minister who set up affordable eateries across her state.
The rasois (kitchens) are meant for labourers, rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, students, working women and office employees, besides the elderly, disabled and the needy.
Vasundhara flagged off the first mobile kitchen van at the Jaipur Municipal Corporation on Thursday.
In the first phase, the scheme, under the PPP model, will be simultaneously launched in 80 urban centres of 12 districts.
Pleasing gestures
Vasundhara, state party president Ashok Parnami and minister Shrichand Kriplani tasted the food before flagging off the vans in Jaipur.
Vasundhara fed some women spoonfuls.
Thursday saw the launch of the kitchens at seven divisional headquarters and five other districts.
Vote-bank meals?
Calling it an attempt to reach out to the urban poor and the working class, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje told DH, “The scheme aims to ensure easy access to hygiene and nutritious food.”
With the tagline ‘Sab ke liye bhojan, Sub ke liye samman’ (Food for all, respect for all), the meals go out in vans painted saffron and green, the colours of the ruling BJP.
A press release from the chief minister’s office hints she wants some castes to take note. It reads: “Chief Minister fed two ladies with Annapurna diet and women hail from Dalit and Gujjar Community.”