Telangana: Annapurna Meals to soon reach milestone of dishing out 10 cr meals

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s Annapurna Meals scheme, which provides a wholesome meal for just Rs 5, will soon reach the milestone of dishing out 10 crore meals. So far, 9.67 crore steaming hot and tasty meals have been served to the needy under the programme. Till May this year, the Telangana government had spent about […]

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s Annapurna Meals scheme, which provides a wholesome meal for just Rs 5, will soon reach the milestone of dishing out 10 crore meals. So far, 9.67 crore steaming hot and tasty meals have been served to the needy under the programme. Till May this year, the Telangana government had spent about Rs 185 crore on this scheme.

With the scheme’s growing popularity, the government is now making efforts to ensure that people enjoy the food in comfortable environs with seating arrangements. Currently, not all Annapurna canteens have seating provision for customers, especially the elderly, who have to eat standing.

---

Under a pilot project, a few canteens were provided with seating arrangements and more will have the facility soon. In the first phase of this initiative, 32 locations have been identified to launch the ‘Seating Annapurna Canteens’ — one each in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) circles.

In 2014, the GHMC launched Annapurna Meals by setting up eight canteens in its limits to help low-income groups to have quality food. Since then, every day, apart from daily wagers, employees and students, many others have been relishing the meals. Around 60,000 meals are served during lunch every day.

Such is the commitment of the State government that even when the Covid pandemic was at its peak, it ensured that the needy are provided with food. In fact, during the first lockdown, Annapurna Meals were supplied for in the GHMC limits. For people’s convenience, mobile canteens were also launched. Around 2.29 crore meals were served in 2020-21 during the lockdown.

Every plat of the Annapurna Meals comprises rice (400 g), sambar (120 g), a curry (100 g) and pickle (15 g) is offered in every per plate. This initiative is seen as a blessing in disguise for the poor, especially for daily wage workers who move to Hyderabad in search for a living. In addition to major landmarks and popular streets, the canteens have been set up at a few major government hospitals too.