City-based non-government organisation (NGO) Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI) has served a million (10 lakh) meals to the needy during the prolonged lockdown, an official said on Thursday.
"We have distributed 1 million meals to the needy, including daily wage workers, construction and contract labourers and street vendors, across the country during the lockdown, which was enforced on March 25 and extended twice up to May 17 to contain the coronavirus spread," RAHI executive director Dola Mohapatra said in a statement here.
The prolonged lockdown has also resulted in the loss of livelihood for thousands of migrant workers, daily wage labourers, construction workers, street vendors and even rickshaw pullers, as they are the worst-hit due to lack of income.
"Over the last six weeks, we have distributed cooked food and dry ration to the vulnerable groups across the country, as the pandemic outbreak has impacted the lower economic strata of our society rendering them jobless with limited access to food and shelter," said Mohapatra.
Through its national network, the NGO has reached out to the needy to provide them with packaged meals and dry ration.
"With our on-ground workforce, we have been able to reach out to the people who need our help the most," Mohapatra noted.
The workforce includes frontline volunteers, partners, donors and supporters.
The NGO is also targeting to serve 1.5 million (15 lakh) meals to the needy over the next 6-8 weeks.
"As the economic revival will take time despite the staggered lifting of the lockdown and workforce stabilisation becomes a challenge, the vulnerable group will continue to need support from all," he added.
The NGO, affiliated to the US-based Rise Against Hunger, has been feeding the lowest strata of society since 2015 in partnership with corporates.
( With inputs from IANS )