BENGALURU: After a few citizens complained of shortage of food at Indira Canteens, BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad clarified that the canteens have been preparing food for around 300 people per meal, and not 500 as said earlier.
The Commissioner, speaking at a press conference here on Friday, said, “We have started from 300, and after the required budget allocation is done, we will increase the number to 500.”
A total of 2,52,200 people have consumed food at the canteens, including Friday’s lunch, as per the palike’s records.
Prasad said tenders for catering had been awarded to the two lowest bidders — ‘Rewards’ which had quoted a price of Rs 32 per day for the meals and ‘Chef Talk,’ which had quoted Rs 44 but agreed to provide the meals at Rs 32. Details of the tendering process are uploaded on the website, the Commissioner said.
He added that since all the centralised kitchens weren’t ready, the caterers had been asked to set up stopgap kitchens, without any extra payment.
“We have paid the caterers only Rs 32 per day as per the tender, and they’ll get Rs 25 from three meals in a day from the customer. No taxes are included. It is their responsibility to prepare food, and once our Centralised kitchens get ready, they will start using them,” the Commissioner said.
Prasad added that three more such kitchens were expected to be completed this week.The Commissioner said feedback from nodal officers, appointed for each canteen, as well as that received from the app would be considered.
When it was brought to his notice that the canteen in Malleswaram had allegedly served undercooked food, he said, “For cases like these, we’ll take serious action. There will be no compromise on that.”
Special Commissioner for the project Manoj Rajan said while CCTV cameras would be set up at all canteens, the palike was also moot installation of the more expensive motion-sensing cameras at the canteens and the kitchens for increased security.
