An individual may choose to get drunk with the leftover money
People having the Rs 5 meal at Nampally Sarai in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Experts felt that while the concept is aimed at providing healthy food for the homeless, it is also not motivating the poor to earn or save, as food is now available at throwaway prices. From paying up to Rs 60 for a meal plate, all they need now is Rs 5.
The GHMC is also introducing 50 more of these centres and is adding the Rs 1 breakfast plan. Making it even more convenient are the new Anna Canteens by the Telugu Desam government in Andhra Pradesh, that are also focusing on a similar concept of providing cheap meals.
Purnima Nagaraja, consultant psychiatrist at the Dhriti Centre for Psychological Wellness says: “The flaw here is that people are being given benefits, without actually making them think why it is being given to them."
"They now have less motivation to work. Also, an individual may choose to get drunk with the leftover money. In the US, there is a process to check the impact by giving people a certain number of free meals. In return, they are asked to show employment level they have achieved. One cannot just eat free for the rest of their lives.”
Professor Haragopal, sociologist, said, “During NTR’s time too there were cheap meals. If one wants to reach the destitutes, there is no machinery. Alcoholics who are completely dependent on this meal every day, can only be motivated to work and save money when there is an awareness campaign.”
Poor kids shooed away by drunks:
Though the Rs 5-a-meal scheme is a hit among the poor and the lower working class, children are not able to make the best use of it. Drunkards or some homeless people often chase the poor kids away.
“Initially, some kids would come to the Clock Tower centre for food. They were working either in nearby hotels or were employed as cleaners. But after a while, they stopped coming,” said one autorickshaw driver who is a regular here. The supervisor at the Mehdipatnam said the concept is not very popular among kids.
“Most of them work in hotels, so they eat there during the lunch breaks. On Fridays, we used to serve sweet rice. Lot of kids used to come on Fridays. Now they have stopped. Also, like many other kids, they prefer junk food and eat leftover biryani given to them by customers outside restaurants.”
( Source : dc correspondent )
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