Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 4: Leader of the opposition in city corporation here, Premananda Shetty, has accused contractors of getting paid for serving food in five Indira Canteens in the city by claiming to have served 500 customers everyday although only about 150 customers get served there on a daily basis. He said that irregularities are happening in the payment of bills by the City Corporation and department of labour to these canteens.

"Rate of five rupees for breakfast and ten rupees for lunch and dinner has been fixed for Indira Canteens. Local bodies and department of labour pay seven rupees per breakfast and Rs 14 for lunch and dinner served to contractors in the form of subsidy, with 70 percent reimbursement by the city corporation and 30 percent by labour department. But only 100 to 150 people visit these Indira Canteens but the contractors get paid for 500 customers per day. I demand a reply by officials and mayor," he said, addressing a press conference here on Thursday January 3.

Premananda stated that contract for Indira Canteen is given to Sai Hospitality, and bill paid to it is prepared in the city corporation. He sought clarification from the mayor as to how is it being ensured that actually 500 customers visit these canteens. He said that the corporation has spent for power connection, drainage, compound wall, interlocks etc of the canteens at a cost of Rs 80 lac but there is no mention about having utilized this grant for Indira Canteen.

City corporators, Gaesh Hosabettu, Sudheer Shetty Kannur, Roopa D Bangera, and Vijayakumar Shetty were present.