Surat initiates biggest food distribution task in state

Vijaysinh Parmar | TNN | Apr 15, 2020, 04:16 IST

Major chunk of people SMC is providing food to, is migrant labourers

Surat: Along with battling the Covid-19 pandemic, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been saddled with a colossal responsibility of feeding lakhs of people that include huge population of migrant and jobless workers who are adamant on returning to their native states.
SMC officials said that on an average, they are feeding nearly 5.5 lakh people twice a day with the help of non-government organizations (NGOs). This is touted to be the biggest relief operation in the state.
The lockdown and resultant closure of textile industries, the mainstay of Surat, which is heavily dependent on migrant workers, has left their nerves frayed.
"We are trying to ensure that no poor in the city sleeps hungry. This required coordinated approach to humanitarian relief which is essential in providing assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need and affected. With this thought process and commitment towards the welfare of the people, we have taken various initiatives to ensure the availability of basic necessity food within the city,'' Banchhanidhi Pani, municipal commissioner, Surat, told TOI.
The civic body has initiated various services in coordination with in-house departments, building relief camps, converting schools and shelter homes into food distribution centres.
"A major chunk of the people whom SMC is providing food is migrant labourers. Moreover, we held meeting with industries in Laskana area where migrant workers had protested a few days ago. As many as 33 mess have been started to provide food to labourers during lockdown. Many industrialists have come forward to provide rations to these mess where labourers are fed twice a day,” Pani added.
SMC officials say that it is funding Akshaya Patra Foundation which operates in the city and prepares food from its centralized kitchen for one lakh people daily.
Moreover, the food packets to oldage and differently abled people are being served at their doorsteps by civic body. As many as 185 charitable and voluntary organizations have joined this Herculean effort of feeding the needy.