With the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh determined to promote religious tourism, the Prayagraj Mela Authority has decided to offer hygienically cooked food at greatly subsidised rates to pilgrims and saints coming for a holy dip in Sangam.
The Prayagraj Mela Authority will establish and operate a community kitchen and two food distribution centres year-round with a capacity to feed 5,000 devotees a day, said officials.
A proposal in this regard has already been approved by the Prayagraj Mela Authority Board .
Through this kitchen, it is proposed to provide breakfast for Rs 5 and lunch for Rs 10 to the pilgrims.
Following the plan’s approval, the mela authority will now fund a feasibility gap study of the proposal under which the income and expenditure aspects of the initiative will be reviewed after which further action would be taken.
To keep the mela area clean, now under the Solid Waste Management Act a fine of Rs 200 each will be imposed on street vendors who are not using dustbins, on unlicensed shops for not having dustbins and on temporary business owners for the same offence. A provision of imposing a fine of Rs 1,000 for not having proper dustbins at commercially eating joints has also been made by the board.
Divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant said, “Likewise, under the City Sanitation Plan, the Prayagraj municipal commissioner will carry out micro-management of the initiative by conducting continuous zone wise reviews to ensure proper cleanliness.”
At the same time, the board resolved to ensure benefit to around 3,000 registered boatmen and labourers through Swachh Kumbh Fund under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna, Chief Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyan, Kanya Sumangala Yojna, Education Incentive Scheme for Girls of Safai Workers and boatmen and Shramyogi Maandhan Yojana.
