Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, and the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated 25 new Atal Canteens in the national capital on Thursday. The canteens were launched digitally from Nursery Basti in Krishna Nagar. With this addition, the total number of Atal Canteens in Delhi has increased to 71.

Following the inauguration, Lieutenant Governor Saxena, Chief Minister Gupta, and other dignitaries sat with members of the public and partook of a meal at the canteen.

Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant Governor Saxena said that the launch of 25 new Atal Canteens marks an important milestone for Delhi. With 71 canteens now operational across various parts of the city, people are receiving clean and nutritious meals at affordable prices. He stated that the scheme is proving highly beneficial for the poor and the needy.

He informed that the initiative was launched on 25 December last year on the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The scheme has been particularly helpful for economically weaker sections, migrant workers, students who have come to Delhi for education, rickshaw pullers, sanitation workers, domestic helpers and daily wage labourers.

Lieutenant Governor Saxena further stated that the Delhi Government is providing a subsidy of Rs 25 per meal to ensure that needy citizens receive food with dignity. Regular monitoring mechanisms have been put in place to maintain quality, hygiene and transparency. He congratulated the Chief Minister and her team for successfully implementing the initiative and expressed confidence that the scheme would continue to expand in the coming months.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in her address, said that the Atal Canteens are dedicated to those who work hard every day to support their families. It is the Government’s responsibility to ensure that they have access to affordable, dignified and nutritious food. She emphasised that the scheme goes beyond merely serving meals; it instils a sense of dignity, security and inclusion among the poor, labourers, street vendors, construction workers and rickshaw pullers.

Chief Minister Gupta stated that the Government is working on the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” to ensure that no one in Delhi sleeps hungry. Clean, wholesome and balanced meals are being served at just Rs 5, providing substantial relief to low-income groups. She announced that the Government aims to increase the number of Atal Canteens to 100 in the near future so that a larger section of society may benefit from the scheme.

She further informed that balanced meals comprising dal, rice, roti and vegetables are being served in all canteens. To ensure transparency and efficient functioning, a digital token system and CCTV monitoring have been introduced. Meals are served in steel plates and billing is fully computerised. Chief Minister Gupta also proposed the creation of an Atal Canteen corpus fund to encourage public participation, enabling individuals and organisations to sponsor meals on special occasions.

Highlighting the Government’s broader commitment, Chief Minister Gupta noted that the Delhi Government will complete one year in office on 20 February. She stated that public trust has ushered in positive change in the Capital and that the Government is functioning with transparency and accountability. Over the past year, several key decisions have been taken in the interest of the poor and labourers. The expansion of Atal Canteens is a significant step towards building a developed and inclusive Delhi.

Delhi’s Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood stated that the Government is fully committed to realising the resolve of Antyodaya reaching and uplifting the last person in society. He informed that since the launch of the Atal Canteen scheme on 25 December, a total of 1,458,301 people have availed themselves of nutritious meals at Rs 5 within 57 days.

He further stated that during the past 56 days, 46 Atal Canteens had been operational, serving an average of nearly 26,000 people daily. Each canteen has served more than 31,000 people on average. He announced that 25 additional canteens will soon be launched, which will benefit over 50,000 needy individuals every day.

He added that the Atal Canteen scheme is not merely a food distribution initiative but a comprehensive effort to extend support to the most vulnerable sections of society. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government is working on the principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” to ensure that the benefits of development reach the last person in the queue.

The programme was attended by Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, MLA from Krishna Nagar Dr Anil Goyal, senior officials and a large number of local residents. The canteens are being operated by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and are aimed particularly at providing nutritious and hygienic meals at a nominal cost of Rs 5 to the working class and other needy citizens.