Andhra Pradesh is all set to relaunch the famous NTR Anna Canteens, which provide meals at subsidised rates, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu slated to inaugurate the first one at Vijayawada after taking part in the Independence Day function on Thursday.
Naidu said the relaunch of the hugely popular food joints—it was the ruling TDP’s election promise—within 100 days of coming to power was proof for his Government’s commitment to the welfare and uplift of the poor, adding that no one in the state would now go hungry.
The file related to the Anna canteens was one of the five that Naidu signed on day one after being sworn in on June 12.
“We will start with 100 canteens across the state in the first phase. More will be started in the coming months covering all the municipal corporations and municipalities,’’ said Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Dr P Narayana.
Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief K Pawan Kalyan will launch an NTR Anna Canteen at Kakinada. “It is a noble cause. No one will go to work in the morning or home in the evening hungry anymore,’’ he said.
Ministers, MLAs and MPs from the ruling TDP, JSP and BJP will inaugurate the canteens in their constituencies. In north Andhra Pradesh, where MLC elections are due, the launch has been postponed till next month.
While a majority of the Anna canteens, named after TDP founder N T Rama Rao, are being restarted at the same places where they were set up during Naidu’s previous term as chief minister, from 2014 to 2019, suitable locations are being scouted for to launch the new canteens.
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Dr Narayana said the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government had shut down all the approximately 600 Anna canteens set up during TDP rule. The closure of the canteens that were a source of nutritious and tasty food for thousands of poor people had caused a lot of negative sentiment against the YSRCP, and it was also a prominent election campaign issue.
“We are relaunching these popular canteens and there is no change in the prices—breakfast, lunch and dinner will each be available for Rs 5. For Rs 15, a person can have food three times a day at these canteens,’’ Dr Narayana said.
The food will be provided by Akshay Patra and the menu includes idli with chutney and sambar, upma or pongal for breakfast on a rotation basis, lunch and dinner will be rice with dal, vegetable curry and curd.
Considering the increase in the number of people at railway stations, bus terminals, and other public places, canteens will be opened on a priority basis at these places, officials said.
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District collectors across the state have been directed to conduct quality checks and ensure hygiene is maintained at these canteens.
“A large number of people used to visit the canteens earlier, and now after five years, we are anticipating even more after people. Hot and delicious food will be served. It will be a boon for the poor, daily-wage labourers, and the homeless and low-income group people,’’ said Kesineni Sivanath, MP for Vijayawada.
After the YSRCP government closed the canteens, Sivanath had started a mobile canteen in Vijayawada.
Many of the canteens that would be launched for the first time will be named Dokka Seethamma Canteens to fulfil Kalyan’s wish. Prior to the elections, Kalyan had urged Naidu to start canteens for the poor in the name of 19th-century philanthropist and social worker Dokka Seethamma from East Godavari district. As she served food to poor people and travellers, she became known as Annapurnamma.
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Kalyan said he was grateful to Naidu for accepting his proposal recently.
