Anna Canteens to come up at all mandal headquarters

Visakhapatnam: Anna Canteens, the State government’s prestigious initiative, will be extended to all the mandal headquarters across the State shortly. 

Following the overwhelming response from the people to the Anna Canteens, the State government has decided to establish the same at the mandal headquarters and directed the officials to work out plans to establish the canteens at the mandal level.

As a part of ensuring food security to all the common people and in order to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner at a cheaper price of Rs 5, the Telugu Desam Party assured during the 2014 election campaign that after coming to the power the canteens will be established.

The State government, in the first phase, decided to establish 203 canteens in all the cities. Already 100 canteens were opened and serving the dishes and they have been receiving good response from the common people. 

The government directed the municipal corporations to complete the works and open another 103 canteens without further delay. “At present from the 100 Anna Canteens as many as 2.5 lakh people are having breakfast, lunch and dinner with cent percent satisfaction on the dishes.

In Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation limits the government sanctioned 25 canteens and already 24 canteens were opened and another one also will be opened shortly. With the overwhelming response and demand from the rural areas also, the State government has decided to introduce the Anna Canteens at all mandal headquarters shortly,” said HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao here on Monday.

In the urban areas and cities, there are problems to identify suitable sites to establish the canteens. However, at the mandal headquarters, there would not be any issue to establish the Anna Canteens, the Minister said.  

Ganta inaugurated the Anna Canteen at YSR Nagar in the 34th division of GVMC. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister pointed out that to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to a person the government would incur an expenditure of Rs 63.

However, the government was providing a subsidy of Rs 58 to each individual, he said. At present every canteen is serving food to over 400 persons and as per the demand plates would be increased, he added.