First ‘roti bank’ set to roll out in Patna

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about Roti Banks and how this concept could mitigate or at least contribute in mitigating hunger from the country, the first such bank is all set to roll out in Patna.

Rishikesh Narayan, a research scholar at Patna think tank AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies, is ready to float the ‘bank’, which will work on the principle of collecting food from well-meaning citizens and distributing it among the destitute. Narayan, who runs the Bihar Youth Force (BYF), a community that works for the welfare of the society, is all set to start the ‘bank’ on June 15, with 50 active members and volunteers ready to set it rolling.

“We hope to tap food from people who are willing to contribute a minimum of two chapatis and some vegetables to the bank every day, which will be distributed among the needy people, especially at the railway station, hospitals and footpaths of the city”, he explained.

Narayan said BYF volunteers would go door-to-door to collect food from people, who could become members free of cost by joining a WhatsApp group and filling up a simple form. “More than 50 people have already joined the group”, he said.

The BYF will accept the donated food, only vegetarian, in tiffin boxes.

“We will allot two tiffin boxes to each member in which he/she will collect the food,” said Narayan.

Each volunteer and members will get an I-Card and a unique identification code . Collection centres will be opened in many areas of the city for people to donate food whenever they want.