Indira canteen is Karnataka state government’s initiative to provide subsidized food 5 Rs which is around 10 cents for breakfast, 10 Rs aka 20 cents for lunch & dinner each.
Bengaluru city corporation(bbmp) is tasked to do this.
Anybody is free to pay & eat, so there is no targeting for needy/poor/low income folks.
As with most services in our country, cost is the key selling point in Indira canteen, neither service not quality.
Modeled around similar initiative in neighboring Tamil Nadu state, Indira canteens are backed by the might of state, almost as a prestige issue.
A dedicated IAS officer (Manoj Ranjan) was tasked with all related tasks, facilities to prepare food, transport it, serving it, cleaning utensils, tabulating…..
Priority was given to open on Indian independence day, by the big wigs of ruling party.
What’s charged for service is no where enough to provide the food-service.
Govt will bear the loss, which could be nearly double the cost being charged.
In essence, govt loses money each time a plate of food is served.
Govt is now competing with catering & restaurant businesses, in the garb of feeding the needy (govt’s word is urban poor, no more hungry bellies… )
Irony is
the quantity being served is strictly limited to less than needs of an adult
Total no of plates that’ll be served in a day is limited. (300 plates per session, 900 in a day)
Operation hours are 2 hours per feeding session.
All these limitations are due to the urge to feed at 5&10 Rs cost.
Govt had set the budget for current financial year at 100 crores. This amount will not be enough, looking at the way, eaters are jumping in.
Bbmp is competing with hotels & success of Indira canteen will lead to reduction of tax income from hotels.
Delicious irony or shooting itself in the feet.. Time will decide. Till then, from Bengaluru
