Indira Canteen Inaugurated on Jali Road in Bhatkal
New facility aims to provide affordable food for the people
Bhatkal (Fikrokhabar News): In a significant step towards supporting the poor and working population, a new Indira Canteen was formally inaugurated on Jali Road in Bhatkal on Sunday. The initiative is part of the Karnataka government’s flagship welfare scheme aimed at ensuring access to affordable meals for people who migrate from villages and small towns to urban areas in search of livelihood.
Addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony, State Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport, Mankal S. Vaidya, said that the primary objective of the Indira Canteen scheme is to provide clean, nutritious, and quality food at highly subsidised rates to the poor, daily wage workers, and the labour class.
Under the scheme, breakfast is provided at just ₹5, while lunch and dinner are available for ₹10 each. The remaining cost is borne by the state government. The minister said the initiative not only ensures food security but also helps the economically weaker sections lead healthier lives.
He clarified that Indira Canteens are not restricted to local residents alone and can be used by anyone visiting from any part of the state. Those who can afford it may choose private hotels, while the canteens are meant to support those in need, he added.
The minister explained that the scheme was initially launched across all wards of Bengaluru and was later expanded to town panchayats, municipalities, and municipal councils across Karnataka. At present, Indira Canteens are functioning successfully in areas such as Bhatkal, Jali, Honnavar, Manki, and Murdeshwar, while nearly 600 Indira Canteens are operational across the state.
Several dignitaries were present at the event, including Jali Town Panchayat President Afsha Qazia, Vice-President Syed Imran Lanka, panchayat members Eshwar Mogeer and N. Manjappa, Taluk Guarantee Project President Raju Naik, nominated member Mohammed Yunus Rukanuddin, and K. S. Kumar, Executive Engineer, Urban Development Cell, Karwar. The programme was compered by teacher Narayan Naik.
