Former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s initiative Indira Canteens served nearly 6 crore meals to the Bengaluru citizens in past 11 months. The Indira canteen, launched last year, has witnessed a great growth as the menu has grown and so has the number of its branches while the mobile canteens have been added as well.
Activists say the canteens have made a difference when it comes to serving low-cost, hot meals to the urban poor. The canteens were primarily targeted at autorickshaw drivers, construction labourers and daily-wagers.
“Even for those earning Rs 7,000 a month, spending Rs 30 for a meal every day adds up to a lot of money. The meals served at the canteen are priced at Rs 5 and Rs 10 and they have really made a difference. It is good that they are changing the menu to include ragi muddle. I think they should include non-vegetarian options like eggs as well as millets which are highly nutritious,” said Vinay Sreenivasa, convener of Bengaluru Street Vendors Association.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) launched 101 of the 199 subsidised canteens on August 16 last year. The remaining started operations over the next few months. A year on, there are 171 ward canteens and 17 mobile canteens. Eleven canteens are yet to come up as their locations have not been identified yet.
