New Delhi: Delhi govt on Sunday achieved its target of setting up 100 Atal Canteens within eight months, with former vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu and chief minister Rekha Gupta inaugurating 25 new outlets at Vishwavidyalaya metro station on the death anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.The 100 canteens will collectively provide subsidised meals at Rs 5 to around one lakh people a day, including labourers, needy families and, now, university students. Nearly 95 lakh meals have been served since the scheme was launched on Dec 25 last year.“Delhi govt’s goal is to ensure that no one sleeps hungry in the national capital. Schemes such as Atal Canteens are a means of taking the govt’s compassion and spirit of service to the people,” Gupta said.She said the outlet near Delhi University would particularly benefit students living in hostels and paying guest accommodation who require affordable and nutritious meals.Naidu, Gupta, North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, minister Ashish Sood and other dignitaries had lunch at the canteen and inspected the quality of food and operational arrangements under the scheme.The 25 newly inaugurated outlets are located in areas such as Janakpuri, Vikaspuri, Mangolpuri, Rohini, R K Puram, AIIMS, Matia Mahal, Model Town, Seemapuri, Anand Vihar, Timarpur, Narela and Shalimar Bagh.Inaugurating an Atal Canteen outside Anand Vihar bus stand, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra said, “In accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve that no one in Delhi should go to bed hungry, nutritious and wholesome meals are being provided to needy people.”The 100 canteens have the capacity to serve nearly 3.65 crore meals annually and will operate throughout the year.
