Kalpataru scheme: Abhishek provides food to 3.78 lakh people

Kolkata: Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Youth Congress president and party's MP from Diamond Harbour provided food to around 3.78 lakh people in the past 12 days under the Kalpataru scheme.

Banerjee had initiated the scheme on April 12, under which interested people living in the areas under Diamond Harbour Parliamentary constituency were given food. The areas that make the constituency are Diamond Harbour, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Bishnupur, Metiabruz, Satgachia and Falta. The scheme was launched on April 12 and ended on April 24. Banerjee is the only MP in the state who took up a scheme to feed 3.78 lakh, people, for 12 days.

"Kalpataru has been a journey of growth, determination and spirit for us. When this initiative started we never thought we would be able to create the impact that we have today," Banerjee said in a statement.

"As a public representative of Diamond Harbour, I have cherished this journey in being able to cater to the needs of 3.78 lakh individuals with overall 14 lakh meals. Alas, this journey must come to an end, but it is only the end of a chapter and the larger book remains; I will keep serving my people," he said.

Banerjee thanked those who had been associated with the project.

Twenty-one community kitchens had been set up to prepare food. Hectic activities started in the morning and the cooks, their helpers and those who used to distribute the food were sanitised. The aluminium foils were also sanitised. The food packets contained rice, vegetable curry and egg curry. About 1.72 lakh people registered themselves to avail the scheme.