Roti Bank: Guarantees right to food in UP

In Mahoba, one of Bundelkhand's most backward districts, a bank goes to the doorstep of the poorest to turn the idea of "right to food" into a reality. Managed by a group of 40 youngsters and 5 elders, the "Roti Bank" gives home-cooked rotis and vegetables to the needy every day.The youngsters knock on the doors of common residents, asking them to donate two rotis to their bank so that those who're hungry may be fed. The initiative, which made humble beginnings in April, has now turned into a movement which feeds at least 400 people every day.The group, which began its work with beggars and the destitute at the railway station, now covers a major part of the city. The beneficiaries include patients and attendants outside hospitals, the poor on the roads and the railway station and slum dwellers.The bank, started under the aegis of Bundeli Samaj, now has many supporters. Some caterers also offer help. But the group is hesitant in spreading its wings. "We are scared of wastage. We will not increase operations till we are sure of the beneficiaries," said Tara Patkar, whose is the brain behind the Roti Bank.