KOCHI: Kochi corporation’s decision to establish Indira Canteens to provide breakfast and dinner for just Rs 10 has sparked a controversy with opposition councillors raising concerns over their functioning.
LDF parliamentary party secretary V A Sreejith said the operation of the Indira Canteen should not affect the existing Samridhi Janakeeya Hotel. “The mayor has not answered questions regarding the location and functioning of the Indira Canteen. If the plan is to set up the canteen inside the Samridhi hotel, it shouldn’t affect the existing facility.
We welcome the initiative to provide breakfast and dinner at Rs 10. The UDF should not spread false information about Samridhi,” Sreejith said. Meanwhile, UDF councillor Deepthy Mary Varghese also said the council should know about the operations of Indira canteens.
Priya Prasanth, the BJP councillor from Amaravathy, said the move to establish canteens is politically motivated. “Since the canteen works alongside Samridhi, the question is whether we are planning to use the same materials. We doubt if the launch of Indira Canteens was politically motivated ahead of the assembly elections,” she said.
Responding to the concerns, Mayor V K Minimol said Indira Canteens will function separately on the premises of Samridhi and will be expanded to other areas in the city.