Janakeeya hotels struggle due to subsidy halt; Over 300 closed in four years

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Janakeeya hotels that started four years ago with the announcement of Rs 20 per meal are under threat. The price of a meal has been brought down to Rs 30 after the government has stopped the Rs 10 subsidy on each meal for one year. With this, the sales were reduced by half. More than 300 hotels were closed. The rest are struggling to hold on.

1198 hotels have been started in the whole state for a hunger-free Kerala. The hotels were managed by Kudumbashree women. The rise in prices of vegetables and spices has made hotel management difficult. Subsidy has been halted since last August. It has to get subsidy amount from previous two to 10 months.

When starting the hotel, the government directed that the respective local bodies should pay the current charge, water tax and building rent. But this is not happening in many places. KSEB has cut off electricity to Janakeeya Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram corporation building due to non-payment of electricity bill. Then it was news that the employees paid the bill by pledging the jewelry.

The suspension of subsidized rice at Rs 10.90 to Kudumbashree hotels through Supplyco was also a major setback. Due to this, they have to buy rice from the public market at higher prices. It is not possible to run the hotel due to the increase in the price of essential items such as fish and rice.