Hunger-Free campaign will go long way in curbing malnutrition: CM

New Delhi, Jun 2 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said the intensification of 'Hunger-Free Delhi' campaign would go a long way in curbing malnutrition in the city.

Speaking after opening the fourth center of "Aap Ki Rasoi", a new initiative under the Bhagidari Programme to ensure at least one-time full meal to homeless, poor, destitute people, Ms Dikshit said the intensification of Hunger-Free Delhi campaign would go a long way in curbing malnutrition as ''it is sometimes noticed that a few children try to gather eating articles out of garbage''.

Describing the opening of the new center "Aap Ki Rasoi" as a noble joint venture of the city government and Reliance Fresh, which has come forward to offer a helping hand in eliminating hunger from the capital city, the Chief Minister said the city government would continue to facilitate NGOs and business houses in distribution of cooked food at specified centres.

'Hunger-Free Delhi' campaign is aimed at the hapless destitute population which often go to sleep empty stomach on the city streets. Three such centers at Nizamuddin Basti, Jhandewalan and Chandni Chowk have earlier been inaugurated by the Chief Minister.

Corporate, business houses, well-to-do individuals and organisations and NGOs have been exhorted to adopt one of the sites for providing meals to the destitute.

Ms Dikshit said Reliance Fresh would provide fresh cooked nutritious food through the Bengaluru-based NGO 'Akshay Patra'.

She expressed confidence that fresh food would be provided everyday between 1200 hrs to 1500 hrs at the centers. The government, under its new initiative, would give permission to utilise night shelters for distribution of cooked food whereas the donors would bring hygienically cooked material for distribution to the poor.

Delhi Health and Social Welfare Minister Yoganand Shastri was also present on this occasion.

Also present were local MLA Prahlad Singh Sawhney, Councillor Uma Sharma, Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta and CEO Reliance Fresh (Delhi and NCR) Navneet Saluja.

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