Indira canteens to dish out payasam, ragi mudde too

BENGALURU: Indira Canteens, which have appealed to cost-conscious customers, are all set to tantalise the taste buds of with a variety of mouth-watering dishes. From March 1, the menu at the canteens will get a makeover. “The menu will include pulao, aloo kurma, payasam, ragi mudde among others,’’ Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Mayor R Sampath Raj told The New Indian Express.

The overwhelming patronisation of Indira Canteens has motivated BBMP to add variety to the menu, the mayor said. “About 3.29 crore people had consumed food in Indira Canteens since they were launched on August 16 last year,’’ Minister for Urban Development and Haj R Roshan Baig had revealed to an unstarred question posed by chief whip in Legislative Council Ivan D’Souza.

During the initial months after the launch, the serving of food in a canteen was restricted only to 400 customers during breakfast, lunch and dinner time. The ceiling was later removed and now some canteens serve food for up to 1,200 customers daily, Roshan Baig had informed in his written reply.

No Indira Canteens in villages

Including 24 mobile canteens, 190 Indira Canteens had been set up in BBMP limits. “Canteens will be set up in the remaining eight wards as soon as land is available to us,” BBMP Mayor Sampath Raj said. Baig informed that there are plans to launch the Canteens with help of civic bodies in all districts and taluk headquarters. He also said there was no proposal before Rural development and Panchayat raj department to set up the canteens in villages.

Population-wise customers ceiling

For population up to 25,000, the number of customers fixed at 200 per canteen.
For population up to 45,000, the number of customers fixed at 300 per canteen.
For population between 45,000 and one lakh, number of customers fixed at 500.