Akshaya Patra Foundation resumes food supply to Delhi govt-run shelter homes

In a relief to thousands of homeless and poor people staying in night shelters run by the Delhi government, the Akshaya Patra Foundation on Saturday said it has resumed food supply to them.

The foundation had discontinued food supply to the shelter homes on April 26 citing a shortage of funds.

On Friday, the Delhi government said in a statement that the Delhi High Court ordered continuation of its free meal scheme, observing it was the responsibility of the State to ensure every person had access to food.

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Following an interim order of the high court, the foundation resumed the night shelter feeding initiative undertaken in association with the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in Delhi, the NGO said in a statement.

However, it added, only breakfast and lunch will be served at over 180 night shelter homes for 15,000-17,000 inmates for the next three days, starting Saturday, due to significant logistics and procurement issues.

The foundation will resume normal food supply by serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the inmates from May 2, said Bharatarshabha Dasa, the national president and trustee of the foundation, in the statement.

"We look forward to DUSIB and the Government of NCT of Delhi for continued support in serving the underprivileged beneficiaries," he said.

Meanwhile, LG V K Saxena has directed the Delhi chief secretary to look into complaints that payments for food provided by Akshaya Patra Foundation during the Covid period were still not disbursed.

A communication from the LG office to the chief secretary on Friday stated that Saxena has expressed concern that Akshay Patra Foundation stopped providing cooked food at various night shelters due to "payment issues" with the government.

"It was also brought to the notice of the Lt Governor vide complaints by the Akshay Patra Foundation that the government had yet not paid them for the food provided by them during the most difficult phase of the Covid pandemic. Several other complaints also have been received in this secretariat, in this regard," said the communication.

The LG has directed officials that the matter be examined and payments due to Akshay Patra Foundation and other vendors be made as per rules at the earliest so that cooked food at night shelters could be resumed as per extant provisions, it said.