Vijayawada: To ease the maintenance of Anna Canteens and bring in transparency, the govt has constituted a charitable trust to manage the facilities in the state. The move is expected to help pool up donations from private companies under CSR with tax exemptions.
The govt has been spending close to 1 crore per day to provide subsidised food at Anna Canteens to the poor. It has plans to set up around 220 such canteens across the state and brought them into operation in a phased manner. While urban civic bodies have completed the construction of the buildings, Iskcon is supplying food to many of the canteens. While the food costs around 90 per person, the govt is collecting a token charge of 15 (5 per session), and bearing a subsidy of 75 per person for three sessions of food supplied through the Anna Canteens.
Municipal administration and urban development minister P Narayana said around 1.5 lakh people are availing the subsidised food per day through the canteens. “Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is very particular about smooth maintenance of Anna Canteens so that quality and hygienic food can be provided to the poor. He doesn’t want anyone to go home with empty stomach,” said Narayana.
The TDP govt, during its first term in the state (2014-19), had launched the Anna Canteens which became quite popular. However, the YSRCP govt which took over in 2019, shut them down calling it waste of money and even left the facilities which were constructed with public money lying idle without putting them to proper use. In many places, heating equipment and furniture were also stolen from the canteens as the authorities completely neglected the maintenance of the buildings. The canteens were revived after Naidu returned to power in June. Taking the bitter experience during the YSRCP regime into consideration, Naidu has now decided to form a trust which will help operate the Anna Canteens smoothly and reduce the burden on the exchequer. The govt has already secured the required clearances from the Union ministry of commerce and corporate affairs to set up the trust and is expecting Income Tax exemption clearances shortly.
The govt plans to dedicate one day’s food to one donor on the lines of the TTD annadanam. Officials estimate it to cost around 26.25 lakh per day to offer food in about 100 canteens under the name suggested by the donor. “Donors can also offer breakfast at 5.95 lakh or lunch or dinner each at 10.15 lakh in all 100 canteens in a single day,” said Narayana.
