No subsidy for seven months, Janakeeya hotels facing debt troubles

Sunday 09 January, 2022 | 12:35 AM READ MALAYALAM VERSION

KOCHI: The women of Kudumbashree, who have taken over the running of the Janakeeya Hotels, hailed as a model of government's care, are facing debts of lakhs of rupees. They are facing a financial crisis as they have not received the government's subsidy for the last 7 months.

Many are forced to mortgage gold and borrow money to move forward. Several families are unable to pay their rent. Debts have piled up in grocery and vegetable stores. These women continue to cook food at the Janakeeya hotels by borrowing more and more money as they have to look after the needs of their families. Several women, who fed the poor and the sick during the Covid period through food packets, are now in dire straits.

Community kitchens that were set up during the lockdown period later went on to become Janakeeya hotels under Kudumbashree.

Janakeeya Hotel was announced in the budget for the year 2020-21 with the aim of 'Hunger-Free Kerala'. It takes at least three people to run a hotel. There are also hotels which are run by 6 people.

200 to 700 food meals are sold daily in Kochi city. Accordingly, they need to get between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 7 lakh from the government. The Kudumbashree workers who took over the Kochi Corporation's Rs 10 meal venture, which started three months ago, should get Rs 18 lakh.