Siddaramaiah's Indira Canteens Kick-Off, But Controversies Galore

With the Indira Canteen, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has served a few controversies and raised the question: Is it a subsidized food counter or a political plank to help the Congress return to power next year? Merlin Francis examines…

- Merlin Francis

On 4 September, diners at one of the recently launched Indira Canteens, a flagship programme of the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, were left hungry because the food served was half-cooked and lunch was cancelled after a 30-minute wait. Questions regarding hygiene and safety were also raised.

Ramesh M (26), a security guard working in Yamlur who cycled half an hour to reach the nearest canteen in Konena Agrahara, was not happy with the food being served. “From this canteen, I’m able to save only a little (money). The quantity is very less and to satisfy my hunger I have to buy two to three plates,” Ramesh said. Drinking water was another issue. There were only two glasses to serve water to over 300 people who visited the canteen.

With the Indira Canteen, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah served a few controversies and raised the question: Is it a food counter or a political plank to help the Congress return to power next year?

The programme, much on the lines of Tamil Nadu’s Amma Canteens, missed the larger point when attempting to replicate the model in Karnataka. In the 2017-1888 budget, Siddaramaiah announced that Rs 100 crore would be allocated to setting up Namma Canteens. These would provide subsidised food (breakfast at Rs 5, lunch at Rs 10) in canteens set up in 198 wards of Bengaluru city.

However, during the launch in August, only about 100 canteens were operational and the rest were planned to be launched in October during Gandhi Jayanti.

Controversies