On Wednesday, AICC Vice President, Rahul Gandhi inaugurated the Karnataka government’s ambitious Indira Canteens in Bengaluru.
Rahul Gandhi, in his short inaugural speech at Jayanagar, congratulated Chief Minister Siddaramaiah “and others present on the dais” for Congress government for ensuring that “the poor in Bengaluru do not go hungry”.
In the 2017-18 budget, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced the allotment of Rs 100 crore for the construction of subsidised canteens across 198 wards in Bengaluru.
However, he made a faux pas when he almost called Indira Canteens as Amma Canteens. Addressing the gathering at the inauguration, Rahul said, “Every citizen of Karnataka, under the Siddaramaiah government must feel that they will not go hungry. That is the vision of Amma… Indira Canteens,” he said.
Amma Canteens were started in Tamil Nadu by the state's former CM and former AIADMK head J Jayalalithaa.
Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress government in Karnataka was reaching out to the poor with affordable food at these canteens.
The AICC Vice President, later sampled the food at the canteen located in Jayanagar ward. Free food will be given to people from 7.30 pm on Wednesday at 101 canteens opened across the city.
“Our aim is to make Karnataka hunger-free and provide food at affordable rates to the labour class and poor migrants”, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
In the initial phase, 101 canteens have been opened, where vegetarian breakfast will be served at Rs 5 per plate and lunch and dinner at Rs 10 per plate. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike will open the remaining canteens on October 2 to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.