Sambalpur: The strange policy of SMC is a roadblock in the government’s plan, the people are turning their backs to come Mission Shakti Cafe to eat

Burla: The science park adjacent to Burla APJ Abdul Kalam Planetarium, which has become the center of attraction for the people of Odisha, is gradually losing its existence. A self-help group was entrusted with the maintenance of the science park in November last year under the state government’s Mission Shakti plan. Also, a canteen inside the planetorium named Mission Shakti Cafe was inaugurated by District Magistrate Ananya Das on October 2 last year while its management was handed over to the Sai Self Help Group.

The aim behind the opening was to provide good and tasty food at affordable prices to the people of Burla city as well as the tourists visiting the planetorium. The self-help group offers a range of good food options starting from breakfast to lunch and soft drinks at affordable prices. 10 rupees are charged as entry ticket from the tourists coming to visit the planetorium and science park. On the contrary, this ticket is also compulsory for those who come to eat only at the Mission Shakti Cafe. In such a situation, people are reluctant to pay the ticket price. People are now turning their backs to come here to eat. It is alleged that due to this strange policy of SMC, the state government’s mission strengthening plan has become a kind of roadblock.

As a result, self-help groups running fruit cafes are also suffering. When SMC Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Sahu asked about this, he said that this cost is being taken for the maintenance of Science Park. Now the renovation work of science park is going on. There are many other arrangements planned to be completed in the next one month, apart from opening the back gate of the cafe for public entry after the planetorium closes in the evening without paying any ticket to the public, he said. However, there is a public demand to stop this entry ticket from people who only come to eat at the cafe.

SMC’s strange plan is getting stuck in the government plan