Subsidised canteens, or soup kitchens, exist across different states in India. They’re slammed as a ‘populist measure’ by critics, but it can’t be denied that they help do the job – feeding the poor.
Popularised by late Tamil Nadu CM, Jayalalithaa, other states that run similar programs are Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh.
Joining the troop is Karnataka with Indira Canteens – one of the state government’s most ambitious projects to serve affordable food, which will roll out today with 101 canteens.
Here is what you need to know about the Indira Canteens:
- Breakfast is available for ₹5 and lunch and dinner for ₹10 each. The menu is based on Karnataka’s traditional cuisine, and apparently designed by leading chefs of five-star hotels, India Today reported.
- A few select canteens will have a more extensive menu, with up to 25 items on offer daily.
- There will be a kitchen in each of the 27 assembly constituencies, and one canteen in each of the 198 wards in Bengaluru. A single canteen can feed anywhere from 300 to 500 customers in a day.
- Interestingly, the canteens are designed to be built quickly. A single canteen structure can be constructed in just eight days.
- While idlis are the mainstay for breakfast, and rice-sambhar for lunch, the canteens also provide a variety of rotating options throughout the week.
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- Five of the 27 kitchens have been reserved for women self-help groups.
- On the off chance that you do not find a canteen within close quarters, you can download the Indira Canteen app on Google Play. It tells you where to find the closest option and what the day’s menu has to offer.
- And wait, you can provide feedback too! Rate the canteen and file a complaint on the app, if need be.
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