Bengaluru: It's official. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's pet scheme, 'Indira Canteen' will be launched simultaneously in all 198 city wards on August 15.
Announcing this at a news conference on Tuesday, Mr Siddaramaiah said the canteens would be managed by BBMP. A committee comprising the CM, Bengaluru city development minister K.J. George, mayor, BBMP commissioners, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader and Food and Finance department officials, would be constituted to finalise the menu, logo and building design. As many as 671 people had suggested the logo for the canteen and 177 persons had given models for the building. Precast materials would be used to ensure the speedy completion of the buildings. Both the logo and the model would be decided by the committee at the earliest.
The government had announced the canteens in the 2017-18 budget to provide food at subsidised rates to poor people. The construction would be entrusted to Karnataka Land Army Corporation with a condition that it should be completed on time. According to an estimate, the cost of each building would be around Rs 7.5 lakh and the construction of all the canteens would be around Rs 15 crore. The menu would be decided after the committee inspects 'Amma Canteen' in Tamil Nadu.
Discussions were on regarding a common kitchen in each assembly constituency but the quality of food must be the same in all canteens. The purpose of having multiple agencies for preparation of food was to have competition among them. "Two meetings have been held with ISKCON on supplying food to the canteens. But many felt the food would be bland since they don't use onion or garlic. In fact ISKCON has been supplying good food to kids under the mid-day meal programme. In fact, ISKCON has been supplying good food to kids under the mid-day meal programme", he added.
It was also decided to distribute 10,000 litres of drinking water to each family living in slums in Bengaluru City free of cost.
The date for launching this programme is yet to be decided. This subject would be placed before the State Cabinet soon for approval.
All arrears of slum dwellers which they owe to various agencies has been waived.
