Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Feb 27: The state government's popular Indira Canteen opened in Manipal here on Tuesday February 27 with district-in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj inaugurating the canteen located near Syndicate circle in the university town. As the construction is yet to be completed, the Indira Canteen will open to public within the next ten days.

After inaugurating the canteen, Madhwaraj said, "This canteen will achieve the dream of chief minister Siddaramaiah in making Karnataka a hunger-free state. With that intention in mind, the government has initiated Indira Canteens in the state. Four Indira Canteens have been allotted to Udupi district. One is being constructed near board high school, Syndicate circle, and one each in in Kundapur and Karkala taluks.

"This Indira Canteen has been built at a cost of Rs 92 lac. The construction will be complete within a week. It will provide quality and delicious food at an affordable price. This canteen will be helpful to students, poor people, migrants, auto drivers and patients who come to Manipal from faraway places. The canteen will help to feed them every day and prove to be a blessing to those who are not able to eat in hotels."

Urging the gathering to contribute in kind to the canteen, he said, "Those who do not use their ration cards to obtain food grains should contribute to this canteen, instead of wasting them. The Indira Canteen aims to provide food for working class in Udupi who struggle to eat two square meals a day."

Udupi city municipal council will have two Indira Canteens - in Manipal and Udupi, both being built at a cost of Rs 92 lac each.

In the Indira Canteen, breakfast is available for Rs 5 while lunch and dinner are available for Rs 10. The committee will be headed by a district collector who will monitor the menu. The official will take charge of changing the menu according to the demands of people every month. As specified by the government, the canteen will serve 500 people at a time.

Idli will be served everyday for breakfast along with Puliogare on Monday, Khaarabath on Tuesday, Pongal on Wednesday, Rawa Khichdi on Thursday, Chitranna on Friday, Vangibath on Saturday and Kharabat on Sunday. Kesaribath will also be available. Rice, vegetable sambar and mosarna and tomato bath, chithranna, vangibath, bisi belebath, menthye pulav, puliogare, pulav will be served for lunch and dinner.

After the inauguration, minister Pramod Madhwaraj tasted Kesaribath which was prepared in the canteen and praised the cooks for the quality.

A bio-gas plant unit has been installed near the building, where vegetable wastage and liquid wastes will be disposed. The produced bio-gas will be used for boiling water. Sign boards have been put in the canteen to indicate self-service, and reserved seats for women, physically challenged and for senior citizens. The canteen has been built on 1,500 sq ft of land. The CMC released Rs 20 lac grants for interlocks. Two washrooms and toilets are to be constructed within a week.

Deputy commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis, municipal president Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje, vice-president Sandhya Tilak, Paurayukta D Manjunathayya and municipal council members were also present on the occasion.