Rahul Gandhi launches 'Indira Canteen' in Bengaluru

Agencies
August 16, 2017

Bengaluru, Aug 16: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today launched the Karnataka government's subsidised food canteens 'Indira Canteen' here that would provide breakfast at Rs five and lunch and dinner at a cost of Rs 10.

Apparently taking the cue from the popular 'Amma canteens' in Tamil Nadu, introduced by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Siddaramaiah government had announced setting up of the canteens in the state budget for 2017-2018.

Initially referred to as 'Namma Canteen', the name was later changed to'Indira Canteen' as Congress legislators sought to give apolitical touch to the populist announcement ahead ofthe Assembly polls early next year by naming it after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

An amount of Rs 100 crore was provided in the budget to set upthe canteens in 198 wards of Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP).

Congratulating the state government for the canteen programme, Gandhi said it is designed to make sure that not a single person in Bengaluru goes hungry.

Calling the world an "unfair place", the Congress vice president, who also had a lunch at the canteen, said it is targeted at the working class like construction workers and auto rickshaw drivers.

"There are many people in this city who live in huge houses and have plenty of food, who drive in big cars and for them food is not a big issue..but there are millions of people in Bengaluru like construction workers, those who own small shops, autorickshaw or taxi drivers, barbers and peoplewho don't get that much money, and it is those people at whomthis Indira Canteen is targeted," he said.

"We want the people from poorest and weakest sections inBengaluru to feel that they will no have to stay hungry in this city. There cannot be a single minute where a poor person inBengaluru is hungry. We want every single person to know andunderstand that," he added.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress GeneralSecretary in-charge of the state K C Venugopal, the party's state unit chief G Parameshwara and Bengaluru in-charge Minister K J George, among others were present at the event.

Taking pride over the Congress government conceptualising such a canteen, Gandhi said the intention was that the quality of food and cleanliness in it be the same as the most expensive restaurants in Bengaluru.

"I would like the government to pay special attention to this fact that the canteen should have excellent quality food, excellent hygiene and people walking out of this canteenmust feel that they not only had safe food, but tasty food.I think we owe this to every single citizen," he said.

He said that the chief minister had informed him about extending the programme to other cities of the state.

In the first phase, 101 canteens were launched today and the remaining 97 will start functioning from October 2, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike officials said.

Though it was initially proposed to have 198 canteens launched by the Independence Day, the number was later brought down to 125 owing to constrains related in getting land for construction of canteens in all the wards.

A total of 27 kitchens will be set up across the city to cater to these canteens, of which 14 are ready and six are currently in working condition.

According to officials, the canteens as of now will serve 500 plates of food, keeping in mind the budgetary allocation, and this is likely to be increased in the future.

Claiming that BBMP had ensured that project take shape to this level within 60 days after getting the order on June 12, officials said construction of canteens is being undertaken by KEF Infra Ltd, while Rewards, and Cheftalk Food and Hospitality Services have given the catering contract for the canteens.

Comments

Mohammed
 - 
Thursday, 17 Aug 2017

Superb project...Rapid Constrution work...Hope govt. maintains well..

Hari
 - 
Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017

Great.. quality food for cheaper price..

Kumar
 - 
Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017

Who will give funds for that.. Our Modiji.. Modiji ki Jai

Sangeeth
 - 
Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017

Cong people will loot much more in that..

Ganesh
 - 
Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017

Another way to loot money. 

Rajeev
 - 
Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017

Great... should have one here in Mangaluru

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 26,2020

Davanagere, Apr 26: Amid the national lockdown imposed by the Centre to check the spread of coronavirus, social distancing norms were flouted as BJP MLA from Honnali -- MP Renukacharya -- held a meeting of ASHA workers on Thursday.

The workers were present in large numbers and no distance of at least one metre between the workers was maintained during the meeting.

However, the workers were seen wearing masks at the meeting but violating the norms of social distancing.

Social distancing is one of the measures that can help people avoid contracting the highly contagious coronavirus.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka has a total of 489 positive COVID-19 cases of which, 153 patients have recovered and 18 patients have died due to the deadly virus.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 8,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 8: Lieutenant General Milind Hemant Thakur, Director-General of Supply and Transport Corps of the Indian Army, unveiled the renovated Animal Memorial at Agram Grounds in ASC Centre and College here on Saturday.

The animal memorial signifies the contributions of mules and horses of the Indian Army. These animals belonging to the Army Service Corps, who have rendered their services relentlessly during the war in the Himalayas, often paying the highest price of sacrificing their lives in the line of duty have been chronicled in the Memorial.

To ensure that these hoof prints do not get obliterated, on approval by the Government of India, their saga was brought to life in the form of a sculptured monument in the Equestrian Training Area of the ASC Centre and College.

This animal transport memorial has now been extended by constructing two walls supported by Roman pillars on either side.

These walls highlight the role played by the animals in the Indian Army since the British Raj. It gives details of 637 gallantry awards won by the brave muleteers, 49 battle casualties since independence, 14 gallantry awards to mules since independence and 05 military recognitions bestowed by the Chief of the Army Staff and other Army Commanders on AT units, who have been relied upon heavily to fill an important niche in the logistics networks of the Indian Army.

Gen Thakur also declared that 26 September each year has been nominated as the AT Remembrance Day as it was on this day in 1914, that 9th mule Corps, as part of the Indian Expeditionary Force, landed at Marseilles in France, to a most hearty and enthusiastic welcome by the French to support the British and allied armies in World War One.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 9,2020

Mandya, Feb 9: A youth from Arechakanahalli village of Maddur taluk on Saturday allegedly committed suicide in Bengaluru after his lover got engaged to another man.

The body of the deceased, Darshan, was found hanging from the celising of his room in Bengaluru. According to Darshan's relatives, he was in love with a girl for the past few years.

Darshan had wanted to marry her, much to the chagrin of her parents, it is said.

The girl's parents had allegedly warned him of dire consequences if he did not stay clear from their daughter. In the meanwhile, she got engaged to another man.

Feeling left out, Darshan allegedly ended his life. In the suicide note, Darshan has held his lover and some of her relatives responsible for his death. He has also claimed that his family was facing death threat from her family.

There are rumours that Darshan might have been killed after he refused to stop seeing the girl. Though both the families are from the same community, their financial status, sources said, is different.

According to the relative of Darshan, the girl is a close relative to a former minister from Mandya district.

"There are reasons to suspect that Darshan might have been murdered, and a suicide note may have been planted at the crime spot.

A proper investigation should be conducted to unearth the truth," he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.