Karnataka govt approves opening 188 new Indira Canteens

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BENGALURU, Karnataka: The Karnataka Cabinet has green signaled the opening of another 188 new Indira Canteens and to repair the existing 197 Indira canteens in the state. Indira Canteens provides subsidised food to the needy in the territorial jurisdiction of urban local bodies.

Indira Canteen scheme is one of the flagship schemes of the Siddaramaiah-led government, which aims to provide breakfast at ₹5 and lunch and dinner at ₹10 to the urban poor in the state.

H K Patil, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of karnataka, informed, “The Cabinet has given approval for the opening of 188 new Indira Canteens in urban local body limits of the state, other than BBMP, and instructions have been given to prepare a DPR (Detailed Project Report) for this. It has also been directed to set the menu keeping the local cuisine in mind.” While speaking to the press, the minister added that the cabinet has sanctioned ₹21.29 crore for the redevelopment of the existing 197 Indira Canteens.

Patil added, “Per day cost of food for a person (one breakfast and two meals) in these canteens will be ₹62, of which ₹25 (one breakfast and two meals) will be borne by the public, and ₹37 by the government.”

Apart from that, the cabinet has also given in-principle approval to the proposal to allocate five acres of land in the Gobbaragunte near Devanahalli to the State Basketball Association.

Implementation of the “Kalika Balavardane” (Learning Improvement) programme for students from classes 1-9, was also approved during the meeting. The “Kalika Balavardane” programme will cost ₹78.13 crore to the government.

Additionally, the revised estimates of a hostel in the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences also got the government’s approval. Construction of the hostel will cost now ₹27.88 crore. Similarly, revised estimates for a hospital equipped with 450 beds, which will be built in the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences, also got the cabinet’s approval. Earlier, the estimated cost of the construction of this hospital was ₹114 crore, and the revised estimate says that ₹138 crore will be needed.