Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Sep 23: Five Indira canteens under the jurisdiction of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), one under the Ullal city municipality, and one each in Sullia, Bantwal, and Puttur are currently operational.
A master kitchen has been established at Urwa Stores, Mangaluru, to supply food to the Mangaluru City and Ullal Indira canteens.
The tender for these canteens has been awarded to Cheftalk Food and Hospitality Pvt Ltd, led by Govinda Poojary. From August 1, a new menu has been introduced under the new tender. Seventy percent of the contractor's expenses are covered by the local city administration, and thirty percent by the labour department. Previously, many bills were pending.
The food prepared at the Urwa Stores kitchen is supplied to six Indira canteens, providing 500 packets of breakfast and 3,000 packets of lunch and dinner each day.
The breakfast menu includes Idli, Pundi Gassi, Buns, Neeru Dose, Shavige, Hesaru Avalakki, and Kadle Avalakki. The lunch menu consists of boiled rice, vegetables, sambar, and payasam. On alternate days, two chapatis, vegetables, payasam, and pickle are served.
Twice a week, gruel is served with vegetables, curd, or payasam. Dinner is almost the same as lunch, with occasional slight changes to the menu. Breakfast is priced at Rs 5, while lunch and dinner cost Rs 10 each.
Breakfast is available from 7:30 am to 10 am, lunch from 12:30 pm to 3 pm, and dinner from 6 pm to 8 pm.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, although the canteens remained open, the menu was not followed. Now, the menu is adhered to consistently, and the public is pleased. Some customers even provide vegetables and other supplies at discounted prices, as the canteens offer food at affordable rates. Locally grown vegetables and coconuts are also sold to the canteens. Occasionally, customers request that the canteen managers provide free payasam or other dishes for special occasions like birthdays or auspicious events.
Health officials from the MCC regularly inspect all units to ensure the quality of the food. The monthly bills are verified by the deputy commissioner (DC) and then submitted to the government for the release of funds.
Ten new canteens have been sanctioned for Dakshina Kannada (DK). Of these, six are under construction, while work on the remaining four is yet to begin. Four new Indira canteens will soon open in Moodbidri, Baikampady, Bunder, and Ullal.
Currently, Indira canteens are located at Urwa Stores, near Lady Goschen Hospital, Kavoor, Suratkal, near Pumpwell, Thokkottu, Sullia, Bantwal, and Puttur in Dakshina Kannada.
Madhava Shetty, manager of the Indira canteen master kitchen, stated, "Indira Canteen is one of the good schemes of the state government. We are providing clean and tasty food at very cheap rates. The menu has been updated to include local snacks and dishes, and the public response has been very positive."