PALANPUR: Believe it or not, this Palanpuri provides meals for the needy at just Rs 2. A mobile kitchen van, the Annapurna Rath, moves round the town at lunch time from 10am to 2pm. In contrast, the government’s muchhyped scheme for daily labourers charges Rs 10 for a meal, and even then the labourers have to visit designated canteens far from their workplace.Rajendra Joshi endearingly called Raju bhai is an industrialist who runs this novel initiative of providing ‘Rajvadi khichdi and kadhi’ to almost 8,000 people every day.“The Annapurna Rath was launched in fond memory of my parents on September 30, 2016 (the last day of the Shradh). Even when we were not financially sound enough to afford charity, my parents used to provide tiffin to our relatives and others who came to Ahmedabad from Palanpur for treatment at VS Hospital,” Joshi said.He added, “After the deaths of my parents, I thought the fittest tribute to their memory would be to continue their tradition of providing food to needy people.”The Annapurna Rath employs four people including a driver and a cook and devotional music is played continuously in it. Joshi who has settled in Ahmedabad belongs to Banskantha, and has also introduced the Annapurna Rath in Deesa on April 12, 2017.“I will continue providing Rajwadi khichdi and kadhi until and unless God wishes otherwise. Currently, the service requires Rs 5,000 per day to meet the expenses. Sometimes we get donations from the people from outside the district. They are allowed to give Rs 2,100 towards a day’s meals of one rath,” Joshi said.

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