Siddaramaiah urges Karnataka CM to utilise 'Indira Canteens' efficiently

Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Siddaramaiah on Saturday urged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to utilise Indira Canteens efficiently and provide food for poor and needy until the coronavirus crisis and lockdown is over.

The former Chief Minister’s letter comes a day after the state government decided not to provide free food at Indira Canteens as concerns were raised about the quality and misuse that was happening.

“We have decided to stop free food supply…we are providing food grains to poor through ration already,” Education Minister Suresh Kumar had said on Friday, adding Indira Canteens will continue to provide subsidized food- breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch and dinner at Rs 10, as usual.

The government last month had decided that the state-subsidized Indira Canteens would provide food packets free of cost to the poor and needy in the wake of the lockdown.

Siddaraamiah said if there is any misuse, steps should be taken to stop it, instead of canceling the supply of free food for poor and needy.

“At the time when the whole country is under lockdown because of coronavirus, Indira canteens can be utilized efficiently to address the issue of hunger. It was inhuman to fix price on food at the time when poor don’t have money or job,” he said.

Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had launched Indira Canteens in 2017.