VIJAYAWADA : Anna Canteens, which used to offer meals for just Rs 5 prior to the YSRC regime, will be revived within three weeks, and the price for a plate of breakfast, a plate of lunch or a plate of dinner will be the same, said Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Ponguru Narayana.
Speaking to mediapersons after holding a review meeting with senior officials at the State Secretariat on Sunday, Narayana said the revival of Anna Canteens was one of the five files signed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu soon after he assumed office.
The previous TDP government took measures to set up a total of 203 Anna Canteens in the State between 2014 and 2019, and established 184, works of the remaining 19 canteens are underway.
“When our government provided quality food to the poor people at Rs 5 (Rs 15 for breakfast, lunch and dinner) in a pleasant atmosphere at all the major centres in the State, the previous YSRC regime diluted the Anna Canteen scheme,” the MAUD Minister said.
However, steps will be taken to restore all Anna Canteens within three weeks.
Officials have been asked to submit estimates to take up repair works of the canteens in two to three days.
Recounting that the maintenance of Anna Canteens was entrusted to ISKCON in the past, the Municipal Administration Minister said while the total cost for providing breakfast, lunch and dinner was Rs 73, the beneficiary paid Rs 15, and the government provided the remaining Rs 58 as subsidy to implement the scheme.
On an average 2.25 lakh people consumed food at Anna Canteens a day, and a total of 4.60 crore plates of food was served through the canteens. Initially, Anna Canteens were set up in municipal areas. Responding to the request of MLAs, the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu sanctioned 150 Anna Canteens for rural areas, he explained.