Kerala is amongst those states, which takes the Sustainable Development Goals very seriously. To eradicate hunger from the state, finance minister Thomas Isaac made an announcement while presenting the annual state budget on 7th February. According to this statement the government will establish 1000 hotels to provide meals at Rs. 25.

These hotels will be run by Kudumbashree; a poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the state government.

During his speech Isaac quoted a poem by Balachandran Chullikkad and said that the government aims to create Kerala completely hunger free, when India’s position is going down in Global poverty index.

As a pilot project the scheme will be first implemented in two blocks of Alappuzha district. The government is aiming to declare Ambalappuzha and Cherthala blocks hunger-free by April 2020. Following this, more areas will be covered in the 2020-21 financial year. A special aid of Rs 20 crore will be allocated in the budget for this project, said Finance Minister in his budget speech.

Number of projects lined up

The food department has prepared a number of projects under Hunger Free Kerala project. These projects will be implemented with the cooperation of voluntary groups and offices.

  • Free food will be supplied to bedridden patients at their residence.
  • Outlets will be opened where meals will be made available at Rs 25.
  • 10 percent of meals will be provided for free in these outlets with the help of sponsors.
  • Civil Supplies Corporation will provide food materials at subsidised rate for this purpose.

Kottayam serve lunch @ Rs 20

According to a report published in mathrubhoomi.com, people get a 5 delicacy lunch in Kottayam in just Rs. 20. This scheme is part of the Hunger-free Kerala-Subhiksha programme initiated by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies. The first counter in the district was opened at municipality women’s waiting room opposite to Nagampadam private bus stand. The vegetarian Kerala style lunch consists of boiled rice along with five varieties of traditional dishes including Sambhar, Thoran, Pulissery, Aviyal and pickle. Lunch is given free of cost to poor people if they inform the staff.