Gujarat govt opens 155 centres under scheme to provide meals to construction workers

Ahmedabad, Nov 10 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday inaugurated 155 new centres across the state under Shramik Annapurna Yojna, a scheme that provides hot meals to construction workers for just Rs 5.

As per a release, the scheme was launched by the BJP government in 2017 with 118 centres in 10 districts. The addition of 155 new centres in seven more districts will take the total number of such food distribution points to 273.

Nearly 75,000 labourers across the state will benefit from the scheme, said Patel, who visited a centre near Vaishnodevi Circle in the city and ate with beneficiary workers.

Addressing a gathering, the chief minister said nearly 3 lakh vendors in Gujarat have benefitted from the PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme that provides loans to small traders and vendors.

Gujarat Labour, Skill Development and Employment Minister Balwantsinh Rajput informed the audience that the state government is running close to 20 schemes for the welfare of labourers in the state, the release stated. PTI PJT ARU