The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced that it would open eateries all across the state that would serve food for the common man at really cheap prices. The announcement comes as a boon to many struggling for food in the state, and especially in urban centres like Bengaluru, where food prices can really shoot up from time to time.
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Here are 10 things you need to know about the new canteens:
1. They will be called Namma Canteens. "Namma" means "our" in the Kannada language.
2. They will be modelled after the Amma Canteens of Tamil Nadu, which were launched by J Jayalalithaa.
3. They are expected to have a fixed menu with a little variety for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
4. Breakfast will be available at just Rs 5 per plate. It will be available for a fixed time in the morning, which will be announced later.
5. Lunch and dinner will be for Rs 10 each, and even in those cases there will be fixed timings.
6. The canteens will be set up all across the state. Whether the government itself will run them or contract them out is yet to be announced.
7. Around 200 Namma Canteens will be set up in Bengaluru alone.
8. The canteens may be especially helpful for people in times of bandhs or natural calamities. Because they are under the government, they can be expected to remain open when everything else is closed.
9. The canteens will be located at some of the busiest and most visible public spots, like bus stations and hospitals.
10. The idea for Namma Canteen on the lines of Amma Canteen had been proposed by former minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs Dinesh Gundu Rao. He is currently the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief.
