The previous government in the state introduced the “Rasoi” program, aiming to provide affordable meals to the urban needy at the cost of just eight rupees. The current government has decided to continue this initiative but will alter the name of the kitchen. The BJP government launched the Annapurna Rasoi initiative from 2013 to 2018, offering inexpensive meals to those in need. However, in 2018, after the Congress party assumed power, the program’s name was changed. In the 2023-24 budget, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expanded the number of Indira Rasois, allocating 700 crores for the initiative’s growth.
Under the Indira Rasoi scheme, beneficiaries receive a pure and nutritious meal at a cost of eight rupees, served at a designated location. The state government subsidises each meal with a subsidy of 17 rupees per plate. The objective of this kitchen is to provide daily meals to 2.30 lakh people and a total of 9.25 crore people annually. The meal menu includes 100 grams of lentils, 100 grams of vegetables, 250 grams of chapati, and pickles per plate.
The previous government, with the commitment to “No one sleeps hungry,” launched the Indira Rasoi Yojana on August 20, 2020, through 358 kitchens across all 213 urban bodies in the state. In the fiscal year 2022-23, the number of kitchens increased from 358 to a thousand, with an annual expenditure of 250 crores serving 9.25 crore meals.
