400 Dabbawalas to get help from the state

Mumbai has been in lockdown for the last four months due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of this, businesses have taken a major hit. We are currently in the unlock 2.0 stage, where companies have been allowed to function with limited staff but they have to follow the social distancing norms set by the government. The idea is to get the economic activities back on track while the fight against coronavirus continues.

A lot of companies still are letting their entire workforce resume work from home. However, there are a few sectors in which working from home is not an option and they have been hit the most due to this pandemic. 

The famous Dabbawalas of Mumbai are also in this list. They were once hailed as the lifeline of Mumbai much like the local trains and also have their name registered in the Guinness Book of World Records/ However, with this pandemic most of them are at the brink of starvation. 

The government has now decided to come in and help these dabbawalas. For now, 400 Dabbawalas of Mumbai will be helped and they will be given groceries and other essential and important services. Aslam Shaikh, cabinet minister for Textiles, Port, Fisheries & & Guardian Minister-Mumbai City, made an announcement regarding this. 

The condition of the Dabbawalas will not improve until public services, businesses and offices start functioning. The central government said that it is planning to start local services in Mumbai by August. Aslam Shaikh also said that it is not under the State government’s hands to start local trains.

Bollywood stars, Sunil Shetty and Sanjay Dutt along with Aslam Shaikh have come forward to help the Dabbawalas of Mumbai.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Sunil Shetty’s NGO Save the Children India has been working towards helping the Dabbawala’s and make sure that they have access to groceries. The actor informed that several food trucks have been sent to Pune where a lot of Dabbawalas are staying. 800 food kits of dal, rice, sugar, atta, and oil have bee delivered to Khed and Maval, the report added.  “The NGO has staff on the ground to look into everything. We have a three-month plan in place.” Said Sunil Shetty.