Providing low cost food for the poor and needy at subsidized costs is one of the prime poll promises of Telugu Desam Party before the elections. Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu is already working on the lines of implementing it. In the first phase, the canteens will operate at 15 places in Vishakapatnam, 10 places in Guntur and 5 each places of Tirupati and Anantapur from the second or third week of October.
Unlike Tamil Nadu where municipalities operate the canteens, Government is thinking on the lines of involving NGOs in the operations. It is said that Iskcon Akshayapatra is in consideration for the canteens operation. If this is finalized, this will be an excellent move by the government since Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest (not-for-profit run) mid-day meal programme serving wholesome food to over 1.4 million children from 10,661 schools across 10 states in India. There can not be any other organization which will handle this program well.
