New Delhi: In a major welfare push aimed at ensuring that no one in Delhi goes hungry, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced the launch of the ‘Atal Canteen’ scheme, a programme that will provide clean, hot, and nutritious meals for just Rs 5 at 100 locations across the Capital. The initiative, set to be inaugurated on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, seeks to support the poor, labourers, and common citizens while promoting dignity and social equality.
Announcing the move, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government has already identified sites for the first phase. “Atal Canteens will be opened at 100 locations across the capital on Atal Ji’s birth anniversary,” she said, adding that “citizens will be provided with clean, hot, and nutritious meals for just Rs 5.”
The canteens will serve dal-chawal, vegetables, and roti, with 500 meals distributed in the morning and 500 in the evening at each centre. The Chief Minister said the government would provide subsidies to ensure food quality is maintained. Selected organisations will be responsible for operating the centres, following an inter-departmental committee’s recommendations on site selection, menu, and management framework.
To maintain full transparency, the entire food distribution process will be managed through a digital token system. “Manual coupons will not be permitted,” Gupta said. Each canteen will be equipped with CCTV cameras linked to DUSIB’s digital monitoring platform. Kitchens will have modern appliances, LPG-based systems, RO water units, and cold storage.
Food quality will be monitored through regular testing by FSSAI and NABL-accredited laboratories. Implementing agencies will also submit monthly reports, including food safety and employee health certificates.
Calling the initiative a “strong step towards ensuring a life of dignity for every poor and working citizen of Delhi,” the Chief Minister said, “Atal Canteen will become the soul of Delhi , a place where no one will have to sleep hungry.”
Gupta added that the scheme is a tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s compassion for the underprivileged. “Atal Ji often said that poverty is not merely a lack of money, but a lack of opportunity. It is this belief that has inspired the Delhi Government to take this meaningful step,” she said.
The government believes the Atal Canteen scheme will not only fill empty stomachs but also uphold the ideals of dignity, equality, and opportunity that Vajpayee championed.