MNS to create jobs via food-on-wheels Party cooks up new scheme, providing meals on wheels to office-goers across Mumbai

MNS to create jobs via food-on-wheels

Party cooks up new scheme, providing meals on wheels to office-goers across Mumbai

Perhaps inspired by the notion that the way to people's hearts is through their stomachs, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is planning to provide employment to Maharashtrian youth by setting up mobile vans to supply wholesome food to the city's office-goers and the vast floating population. Anil Fondekar, general secretary of the MNS Employment and Self-Employment wing, told DNA that a total of 20 mobile vans serving Maharashtrian cuisine had been planned. Fondekar said five such vans had already been set up — at Mantralaya, Apna Bazaar in Fort, CST, Churchgate and SNDT - and another 15 would be added to the fleet. "We are trying to ensure that the unemployed, especially those with low qualifications, get work," he said, adding that all the people employed by them were Maharashtrians. In addition, food grains and other raw material were sourced from Maharashtrian traders, he said. In its embryonic days, the Shiv Sena had encouraged Maharashtrian youngsters to set up vada pav stalls. It has now started its pet Shiv Vada Pav scheme, where stalls bearing the scheme's signage have been set up across Mumbai. "We are targeting areas with office-goers, places where fast food and junk food is available. The idea is to make hygienic food available to the people as an option," said Fondekar. He added that the Sena had already made jobs available to around 22 people, a number that would rise to over 100 once extra vans were added. Fondekar said the Sena had set up a central kitchen in Fort, where unemployed women activists of the MNS were preparing food that would be served to people via the vans. This included non-vegetarian fare on designated days, he said.