Akshaya Patra to serve meals to frontline workers, labourers

Akshaya Patra opened its COVID-19 relief feeding centre at K.R. Market in the city on Saturday.

Through this centre, which was inaugurated by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Akshaya Patra will serve 1,000 free cooked meals to frontline warriors, industrial labourers and economically disadvantaged people between noon and 3 p.m. every day, said a release of Akshaya Patra.

Over the next few days, the foundation will open three to four similar feeding centres in other parts of the city, it added.

“With the country grappling with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation has decided to scale up its feeding efforts. Working with the government and its donors, Akshaya Patra is reaching out to vulnerable populations to ensure their food and nutrition security,” the release said.

Since the announcement of the State-wide lockdown in April 2021, Akshaya Patra has cumulatively served over 5 lakh meals (as of May 15) to economically disadvantaged people in Bengaluru.

These include construction site workers, industrial labourers, slum dwellers, street-side vendors and individuals at old-age homes and orphanages. On an average, about 50,000 meals are served in the city every day, the release said.

Simultaneously, about 800 cooked meals are being served to the staff, attendees and frontline workers at the K.C. General Hospital (Malleswaram) and Victoria Government Hospital. Over the next few days, the foundation will ramp up the initiative to serve over 5,000 meals in government hospitals across the city.

The organisation has been providing over 3,500 cooked meals and 2,500 snacks kits daily to the police personnel, the release said.