K'taka Congress mulls naming subsidised food canteens after Indira Gandhi

Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka on Tuesday said it was considering naming the subsidised food canteens proposed in the recent budget after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

"There is a demand for naming it as Indira Canteens from the Congress legislature party...will look into it and consider it while issuing order," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.

He informed this to the House while replying to the discussion on the budget that was presented on March 15.

As the Chief Minister made a reference about the canteens, calling it "Namma Canteens" as mentioned in the budget speech, some Congress MLAs said "it is Indira Canteens".

Taking the cue from the popular "Amma canteens" in Tamil Nadu, introduced by former Chief Minister late Jayalalithaa, Siddaramaiah, who holds the Finance portfolio, had said while presenting the budget that he proposed to launch "Namma Canteens" in Bengaluru, where breakfast would be provided at Rs five and lunch and dinner at Rs 10.

Trying to give a political touch to this "populist" announcement, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) that met on March 22 had demanded that the canteens be named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, so that it can be better marketed to favour the party ahead of the 2018 assembly polls.

Siddaramaiah said along with poor, the canteens are aimed at catering to Bengaluru's floating population of about 15 to 20 lakh people, as also to those who come to the city in search of jobs and as tourists.