BENGALURU: The State Government will provide free food through Indira Canteens to people from economically weaker sections across the state, during the lockdown, from May 12 to May 24. Indira Canteens in BBMP limits will provide food packets, breakfast, lunch and dinner for poor people, migrants and labourers. Canteens outside Bengaluru will have both options -- of providing food packets and serving food -- following Covid-19 guidelines.
Beneficiaries do not need to produce any document to get free food thrice a day, at the 175 Indira Canteens outside Bengaluru, while within BBMP limits, they need to provide identity cards such as voter identification card, Aadhaar, driving license or identity card issued by the Labour department. Each person will be given a maximum of three packets of food, or the number of family members in the ration card, said a statement issued by
BBMP. A notification issued by BB Cauvery, Director, Directorate of Municipal Administration, said all Indira Canteens (outside BBMP limits) have been told to maintain records of footfall. Heads of local bodies will also supervise operations in their jurisdictions.
The government decision to provide free food at India Canteens will help thousands of people across the state. The canteens were started in 2017, when the Congress was in power in Karnataka, to provide food at subsidised prices -- `5 for breakfast and `10 each for lunch and dinner. On Tuesday, the State government directed BBMP to utilize `25 crore from `300 crore released for Covid management, for the purpose of providing free food.
Minister for Municipal Administration MTB Nagaraj said the government will provide free food to help people from economically weaker sections, roadside vendors, daily wage labourers, during the lockdown. Nagaraj said people must comply with Covid-19 guidelines, wear masks and maintain social distance, and cooperate with the government.
Have proposed to distribute dry rations to poor, AG tells HC
The State Government on Tuesday informed the Karnataka High Court that it has proposed to distribute dry ration to the needy and also provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner at Indira Canteens in all urban local body limits to vulnerable sections of society till May 24, 2021 (till the end of the lockdown). Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadagi made this submission before the division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar during a special sitting held on Tuesday.
Similarly, free food will be provided in Indira Canteens falling under BBMP limits till May 24, 2021. Navadagi said that arrangements have been made with the help of 16 NGOs to serve food for those who are far away from a Indira Canteen and the details of the scheme will be submitted to the court on Thursday. The state has also evolved a scheme to provide food to vulnerable sections in rural areas also. A decision is awaited from the government, he added.The court said that the State Government will have to start distribution immediately and place on record the decision taken to supply food to vulnerable.