The destitute who often go hungry can now look forward to the district panchayat’s Patheyam scheme for a square meal every day.
Being piloted in 10 panchayats in the district under the aegis of the Kudumbasree district mission since March at a cost of ₹40 lakh, Patheyam aims at providing lunch to the elderly, chronically ill, the differently abled, and those seeking alms who do not get any government benefits.
Identification of the beneficiaries in each panchayat was the first step to ensure that no one went hungry. For this, surveys were held in which Kudumbasree community development societies (CDS) members and ward members took part.
The list of beneficiaries was then placed before grama sabhas for approval. Special lists were drawn up for those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Approval of grama panchayat committees comprising the panchayat president, CDS chairperson, and Kudumbasree member secretary was sought. As many as 1,244 beneficiaries were identified in the district by the surveys. Food is prepared by Kudumbasree members, packed, and taken to an anganwadi in the limits of the Kudumbasree area development society (ADS) or if necessary handed over to the destitute directly.
The food is vegetarian, and stress is on organic food, with produce sourced from joint liability groups of the Kudumbasree or farmers’ groups in panchayats. Payment is made as per rates decided by panchayat or monitoring committees.
A committee comprising the district panchayat president as chairperson, Welfare standing committee chairperson as vice chairperson, and the Kudumbasree district mission coordinator as implementing official monitors the activities related to Patheyam.
By June end
The ₹1.25-crore project will be formally inaugurated by June end, and soon extended to other panchayats, District Kudumbasree Mission officials said.
