Yogi thalis for the poor in Allahabad for Rs 10
A thali or a complete meal with rice or roti, daal and curry for Rs 10 has been launched at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. The subsidized meal Yogi thali, named after the state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was launched by Allahabad mayor Abhilasha Gupta.
"It is an initiative by a private individual. This facility, named after Yogi Adityanath, has started from today (Sunday). It is a thali for Rs 10 and I am sure the disabled, poor, needy and saints would greatly benefit from this initiative," said Ms Gupta adding that those who "cannot afford a full meal can get it here."
The man behind the initiative, Dilip alias Kaake said, "We believe that no one should sleep on an empty stomach. We have named after the Chief Minister because he is working for the people of the state and everyone is really appreciating his efforts."
The thalis are available at an outlet near Allahabad's Attarsuiya locality.
Even though it is not a government programme, Yogi thali is the latest to to come up along the lines of other free meal facilities like the Amma thalis and Amma canteens in Tamil Nadu and the Atal Jan Ahar Yojna in Delhi. The earlier Congress government in Uttarakhand too had its Indira Amma Canteens, which served a full meal at Rs 20.
The Yogi thali has rice, daal, a seasonal vegetable, two tandoori rotis, pickle and salad. "We have not asked for anyone for funds. But if people come forward with help, we plan to expand it," said Dilip.
The hugely successful Amma canteens in Tamil Nadu, which has become an example for many states, serve as many as 3.5 lakh people every day. Extremely popular among the common people, the canteens sell idlis at Rs 1 and rice dishes at Rs 10.
(With inputs from ANI & PTI)