Mysuru: The much-hyped ‘Upahara Bhagya’ (Breakfast scheme) mooted by Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) a year ago to provide morning breakfast to 2,300 Pourakarmikas engaged in cleaning work is yet to take off owing to policy issues. The MCC had announced that it would start serving breakfast to Pourakarmikas from Feb. 2017.

With cleanliness taking the topmost priority in city, the role of Pourakarmikas in achieving the same cannot be quantified. Hence, the MCC came out with a good scheme to provide breakfast to the Pourakarmikas to energise them, but unfortunately, the proposal seems to be still on the paper.

Many pourakarmikas leave home early in the morning for work, mostly skipping breakfast as they do not have time to prepare the same.

When Star of Mysore contacted MCC Health officer Dr. Nagaraj, he said that the actual process of launching the scheme commenced about six months ago and tenders were invited to supply breakfast on a daily basis to the Pourakarmikas with a change of menu everyday.

However, no response was received to provide breakfast priced at Rs. 20 per plate, Dr. Nagaraj said and added that on a second thought, the MCC thought of handing over the responsibility to Akshaya Patre, a wing of International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON),who have been successfully providing midday meal to school children.

On contacting ISKCON, the officials there insisted on direct involvement and not through the tender process citing technical issues. However, such a clause was unacceptable to MCC to abide by the rules, he said.

Dr. Nagaraj said that, with no way out, the MCC initiated the tender process again and was able to get response from three sources which offered breakfast at a price of Rs. 27, Rs. 30 and Rs. 32 and not at Rs. 20 as demanded by the MCC.

In that context, the MCC approached the Directorate of Municipal Administration seeking a revision of price to Rs. 27, the lowest of the three quotations, he added.

Though two months have elapsed, MCC is yet to receive a reply from the Directorate, explained Dr. Nagaraj.  If the proposal is okayed by the Government with a revised price, the scheme will take off and breakfast will be served at 7am daily at the attendance point in each ward, added Dr. Nagaraj.