On the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a big relief news has emerged for the general public in the capital Delhi. Delhi government has simultaneously started 45 new ‘Atal Canteens’, where people will now get hearty and nutritious food for just Rs 5. The direct benefit of this initiative will be given to the poor, laborers, rickshaw pullers and people of low income group who are looking for cheap and good food in the times of inflation.
Target to operate a total of 100 canteens in the capital, Union Minister and Chief Minister served food
Under this scheme, a target has now been set to operate a total of 100 Atal canteens in Delhi. The new canteens were formally inaugurated through a main program organized at Nehru Nagar Center in Lajpat Nagar. During this, Union Minister Manohar Lal and Chief Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj served food to the needy with their own hands. The government has clarified that last time the promise of some canteens could not be fulfilled, hence the decision was taken to start these 45 new canteens immediately after the formation of the new government so that the target of the total number can be achieved.
Food will be provided in two shifts from morning till night, after Rs 5 the government will give subsidy on the remaining cost.
The timings of the canteen have also been fixed for the convenience of the people. In every Atal canteen, there will be provision for lunch from 11:30 am to 3 pm and dinner from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. People coming here will be charged only Rs 5 for a plate. The difference between the actual cost of preparing the food and Rs 5 will be borne by the government in the form of subsidy, so that there is no burden on the common man’s pocket.
What will you get in the plate? Complete care was taken of nutrition with roti, rice, pulses and vegetables.
Along with providing cheap food, its quality and quantity has also been taken care of. About 300 grams of roti, chapati or paratha will be available in a plate of Rs 5. Apart from this, about 100 grams of pulses (either Rajma, Kadhi or mixed dal) and 100 grams of seasonal vegetables will be given. For rice lovers, the thali will also include about 100 grams of rice. To make the thali balanced and tasty, pickles and salad have also been arranged.
Every day about 50 thousand people will be able to eat food, preparations to expand to bus stands and industrial areas
After the expansion of the scheme, thousands of people will now benefit from it. A target has been set to serve at least 1,000 thalis (500-500 per shift) daily in every canteen, including morning and evening. With the addition of 45 new canteens, now about 45,000 to 50,000 people will be able to eat food for Rs 5 every day. The government has indicated that if crowd management on this model is good and people’s satisfaction level is good, then in the next phase more Atal canteens will be opened near bus stands, industrial areas and large slums.
