Delhi govt. opens Atal Canteens on Vajpayee’s birth anniversary

Marking the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Delhi government on Thursday inaugurated the first batch of 45 Atal Canteens offering full meals at ₹5 to ensure food security with dignity. The canteens were launched at multiple locations across the city by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, MPs, and Union and Delhi Cabinet Ministers. Addressing the inauguration of an Atal Canteen in Lajpat Nagar, Ms. Gupta said the initiative reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a society where no one goes hungry and every citizen lives with equality and self-respect. “The idea is to ensure that people eat with dignity. Labourers, needy people and families living in slums will get a full meal for just ₹5,” she said, adding that lakhs of Delhi residents were expected to benefit from the scheme. Implemented through the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the canteens will serve lunch and dinner every day. Each canteen is expected to provide around 1,000 meals daily and provide jobs to around 700 people. Once all 100 canteens planned under the scheme become operational, over one lakh people are expected to receive meals every day . Ms. Gupta said the remaining 55 canteens would become operational within the next 15 to 20 days. She said the ₹5 charge was a symbolic contribution to preserve the self-respect of beneficiaries, promote responsible consumption and prevent food wastage. A standardised menu has been prepared to ensure uniform quality across all canteens. The meals will include staples such as dal , rice, roti and vegetables, according to a government official. The government has allocated ₹104.24 crore for the operation and management of the scheme. While beneficiaries will pay ₹5 per meal, the remaining ₹25 cost per plate will be borne by the Delhi government. Several Cabinet Ministers also inaugurated canteens in their respective constituencies, stressing the need for quality, nutrition, and continuous monitoring. The government marked Vajpayee’s birth anniversary with other initiatives focused on digital empowerment and heritage preservation. Digital learning push Education Minister Ashish Sood distributed educational tablets to 240 meritorious students from government schools. Mr. Sood said the tablets were meant to reward academic performance and “empower students by strengthening their digital learning” at a time when schools have shifted to online classes following the imposition of the Graded Response Action Plan amid worsening air pollution in the Capital. Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) V.K. Saxena named an 11-acre park developed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sadbhavana Udyan. The newly named park, located along Mahatma Gandhi Marg, will also house a statue of Vajpayee in the future, according to an official release. Published - December 26, 2025 01:24 am IST

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