Deendayal Thali: Madhya Pradesh BJP unit targets to help 48 lakh people

BHOPAL: With the change of regime and demand of the hour, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is all set to revive its most ambitious public welfare scheme of subsidised meals, Deendayal Thali, to give respite to the poor who have been hit severely by the Covid-19 outbreak. The government will again provide healthy cooked meals to the BPL (below poverty line) families at Rs 5 a plate twice a day.
"We have been running Deendayal Thali scheme during our majority in the municipal corporation at Rs 5 a plate.The previous Kamal Nath government closed the scheme in June 2019. Still we continued it with the contribution of social organisations. Now, again the scheme will be relaunched and this is the right time to help poor and needy during coronavirus crisis," former Mayor of Bhopal, Alok Sharma told TOI.
The Deendayal Rasoi Yojana (Thali) scheme was launched by the then BJP government led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on April 7, 2017 to mark the birth centenary of saffron ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. The initiative was on the lines of state run Amma Canteens, started by the former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, which served subsidised food at low prices in Tamil Nadu.
After Congress came to power under the leadership of Kamal Nath, it decided to scrap the scheme and on June 20, 2019, kitchens in all districts of MP supplying subsidised meals were shut down. The last ration they were supplied was in May 2019.
The scheme was being monitored through municipal bodies in the districts with government funds and cooperation from non-government organisations. The Congress government had though, assured to relaunch the scheme with new name 'Indira Thali'. In cities like Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain and some tribal areas like Mandla, BJP workers continued the scheme through contribution from public or social voluntary organisations.
Recently, after taking over the reins of the power again, the BJP leaders who had been instructed to extend full support and assistance to the poor and labour class who have lost their source of livelihood due to Covid-19 outbreak, announced to revive the ambitious scheme.
"Prime Minister Modi ji has in his message clearly mentioned to identify community kitchens in each district to supply free or subsidised meals to those who have been severely affected by coronavirus scare. He has also recommended to open sub-centers and involve non-government sectors to provide rations to the needy people," said former BJP state media in-charge, Dr Hitesh Vajpayee.
The BJP organisation has also called upon the state unit led by VD Sharma to provide food to at least 48 lakh needy people during the corona crisis, stated an official spokesperson.
Interestingly, after this, the BJP government is also planning to review all its welfare schemes which were scrapped by the previous Congress government due to financial crisis. A few on the top list included Saral Bijli Yojana, Pension Yojana, Samadhan Online, Jan Adhikar scheme, Sambal Yojana, Janani Yojana, Chhatravratti Yojana, Deendayal Antyodaya Upchar Yojana and Deendayal Mobile Hospital Yojana and Smart Phone scheme among others.