Jammu’s first shelter for urban homeless housing over 50 people

Jammu, Apr 22 (PTI) The first shelter for the homeless in Jammu is housing more than 50 people, mostly women, who had been living in inhuman conditions on footpaths or under flyovers for years.

In addition to a roof over their heads, they are provided three meals a day, medical check-ups and other basic facilities.

The initiative — Shelter for Urban Homeless — has been taken by the Jammu Municipal Corporation under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission.

Jagriti Mahila Udyog Kendra, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has signed a memorandum of understanding with the civic body to run the shelter.

Its president Veena Bakshi said, “With the help of officials and police, we have reached out to homeless people living under bridges, at railway stations and various other places.”

“We have been able to reunite some of them with their families as well,” she added.

The National Urban Livelihoods Mission aims to provide permanent shelter equipped with essential services to the homeless.

Jammu Smart City Limited organised a “save food, share food” campaign at the shelter under the Eat Right India initiative.

“We are working on two targets first one being able to reach out to the needy ones and secondly collecting the leftover food from caterers, hotels, restaurants and religious places and distribute it to the needy and hungry people in a hygienic condition,” Jammu Smart City nodal officer Sushil Sharma said.

Eat Right India is an initiative of the central government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to transform the country’s food system in order to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.