Karnataka BJP rolls out relief food kits in party chief's home district

Jaideep Shenoy | TNN | Updated: Apr 26, 2020, 15:28 IST

MANGALURU: Responding to a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the last man is not deprived of essentials, the state unit of BJP on Sunday kickstarted process of supplying food kits to targeted beneficiaries. Nalin Kumar Kateel, state BJP chief initiated the process in his home district of Dakshina Kannada by dispatching 12,000 food kits to the beneficiaries in eight assembly constituencies with each constituency being allocated 1,500 kits.
Nalin, also DK member of parliament has already distributed 3,000 kits prior to this drive and kept an equal number in reserve in his war room to meet requests for essential supplies. The kits contain rice, tur dal, wheat, masala powder, cooking oil, tea/coffee powder and sugar. Some of the kits also have soap, toothpaste, Nalin told TOI prior to launching the initiative in the presence of all seven BJP MLAs from Dakshina Kannada district.
Kota Shrinivas Poojari, district minister who symbolically handed over kits to respective MLAs said these will be given to those who do not have either an APL or BPL ration cards. This aid is important in a district that has done a tremendous job under the leadership of Nalin and the entire district administration in combating the pandemic, he said adding this was important in that the district with its multi-modal connectivity was prone to an outbreak.
Nalin said it was the wish of PM Modi that each party worker come to the aid of at least five persons and the party has supplemented efforts of the state government in this regard. Each party MLA hitherto have taken the initiative to distribute ‘Modi Kits’ to deserving in their area after mobilising funds or from their own resources, he said. The muzrai department too has served more than 16500 mid-day meals daily to homeless and those in need, he said.
Minister for urban development Byrathi Basavaraj, philanthropist G Shankar and a whole lot of donors have aided the party’s effort in ensuring that no one sleeps hungry, Nalin said. This is in addition to steps that the BS Yediyurappa led BJP government has done to provide relief to people through the fair price shops by issuing them ration for April in advance, he said, adding food stocks for May will be released shortly to the end beneficiaries.