Bhubaneswar, December 2 (LocalWire) All the state-run 158 ‘Aahar’ centres have been conferred with ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification, officials said on Monday.
Aahar centres are government’s low-cost canteen scheme to provide subsidized noon meals in urban centres and hospital campuses every day.
The certification has accorded the 4-year-old Aahar scheme management the recognition to its assured quality, management system and standardized service delivery said officials of housing and urban development department.
“Our drive to bring affordable and quality meals to the needy in urban areas registered a major achievement with 185 AAHAR kendras and 34 central kitchens getting ISO certified” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in his official twitter handle.
“ Kudos to Housing and Urban Development Department, Collectors and industry partners who made this happen” the chief minister tweeted.
Aahar scheme was launched on April 1, 2015 and has been providing subsidized meal to around 1 lakh people across the state every day.
The needy and poor people are being served lunch comprising rice and damla at a highly subsidized price of Rs 5.
While the cost of preparing the meal by centralized kitchens is estimated at Rs 20, the government is doling out Rs 15 subsidy on each meal being served at the Kendras.
The cost of the meal is mostly being borne out by corporate houses who fund the project under corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme, said officials.
While the Aahar kendras (centers) in urban areas serve food during day hours, those located in the hospital premises extend meals both for the lunch and dinners.
Patnaik had earlier called upon his council of ministers, bureaucrats besides district collectors to have lunch in the Aahar kendras to get the first information on the quality of food being served to the people in these centres.
LocalWire
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