Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB/SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 14: Mayor Kavita Sanil on Tuesday November 14 announced that six Indira Canteens and a master kitchen will come up in the city limits from January 2018. She said that the state government has given permission to open six canteens and a kitchen on the basis of the population covered by the city corporation, which stands at 5,93,291.

Addressing a press conference here, the mayor said, "On October 23 this year, the government issued order to open Indira Canteens in urban local bodies situated in taluk headquarters and district headquarters with the aim of providing balanced food to poor people living in these areas at a reasonable price. Indira Canteens will provide breakfast for five rupees, while lunch and dinner will cost ten rupees each. Approval was given vide the above order, to open 247 Indira Canteens in 173 urban local bodies in the state, in addition to 15 master kitchen rooms."

The mayor said that out of six canteens and one kitchen permitted for the city, one canteen will be set up by Ullal municipality. She said that the city corporation has already identified the spots where Indira Canteens will come up, which are as follows:

1. Attavar village, government central Maidan
2. Attavar village, recreation ground
3. Derebail village survey No 25/2P P, 126/2A2P (canteen and master kitchen)
4. Kunjathbail Kavoor school
5. Iddya village primary health centre, Suratkal

The master kitchen will come up by the side of Indira Canteen at Derebail village. The canteens have been permitted to be built in places owned by revenue, local urban body, water supply and sewerage board, power supply companies,police department or other government bodies without the need to follow land transfer process.

Indira Canteens and kitchens will be built by following traditional methods of building constructions. They will be built through Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd at a cost of Rs 2.97 crore, she stated. A committee headed by deputy commissioner of the district will manage implementation, functioning and monitoring of the canteens. The committee will manage tender process to decide on food suppliers. Out of subsidy required for food supply, 30 percent will be obtained from department of labour, while the balance 70 percent has to be borne by the city corporation out of its grants, she explained.

Other issues

The mayor said that 38 water connections have been severed because the concerned had not paid their bills and kept them pending for too long. About property tax, she regretted that only 42 percent of the citizens of the city have paid them. She said that it is surprising that the payment of house tax has been made easier and there is facility to pay it even online, but people are not volunteering to use this facility.

"A large number of traders have not renewed their licences. I request them to get their licenes renewed at the earliest as it is a must," she said.

She also announced that there will not be municipal water supply on Wednesday November 15 on account of technical work.