Gas shortage hits ‘Maa Canteen’ outside SSKM Hospital, affordable meals for poor at risk

The popular ‘Maa Canteen’ scheme that provides low-cost meals to the poor is facing a serious challenge after a shortage of LPG cylinders disrupted operations outside SSKM Hospital. The canteen, which serves hundreds of people every day, is struggling to maintain regular food preparation due to the fuel crisis, raising concerns among beneficiaries who rely on it for daily meals.

Located outside the hospital in Kolkata, the canteen is an essential support system for economically weaker people who travel to the city for medical treatment. The service typically provides rice, lentils and a boiled egg at highly subsidised prices ranging from ₹5 to ₹10. However, the ongoing shortage of gas cylinders has put the continuation of this food service under serious strain.

Relatives of patients and daily visitors to the hospital have expressed anxiety over the situation. A couple who had come for the treatment of their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter said the canteen had been their only reliable source of affordable food while staying near the hospital. With the gas shortage affecting cooking operations, they fear the service could stop completely.

The problem is also affecting daily wage workers and elderly residents who depend on the canteen for inexpensive meals. Some beneficiaries say that limited income makes it difficult to cook regularly at home, and the Maa Canteen had become their primary place for a filling meal during the day.

Officials associated with the canteen management said that if the supply of LPG cylinders is not restored soon, they may have to reduce the quantity of food being prepared. Meanwhile, the social welfare department of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has begun efforts to resolve the issue and has assured that talks are ongoing with gas dealers to ensure that the food distribution system continues without disruption.