New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) Over 14.58 lakh people, including slum dwellers, migrant workers and those in need, have availed nominally priced meals served at Atal canteens across the capital in the past two months, Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, inaugurating 25 new Atal canteens along with Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta proposed creation of a corpus to encourage public participation in the scheme, enabling individuals and organisations to sponsor meals on special occasions.
In the last 56 days, 48 Atal canteens have become operational in Delhi serving an average 26,000 people per day, Sood said, adding that the Delhi government is committed to uplifting the last person in society.
He said since the launch of the Atal Canteen scheme on 25 December, 2025, on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee, a total 14,58,301 people have availed nutritious meals at Rs 5 in the past 57 days.
“Each canteen has served more than 31,000 people on average,” the minister said.
With the addition of 25 new canteens, he said the benefit will reach over 50,000 needy individuals every day.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government aims at raising the number of Atal canteens in the city to 100 in coming days that will serve one lakh meals every day.
Atal canteens serve meals at a nominal price of Rs 5 per person, with the Delhi government providing a Rs 25 subsidy per meal.
In order to ensure transparency and efficient functioning of the Atal canteens, a digital token system and CCTV monitoring have been introduced, the chief minister added.
Delhi government has allocated Rs 104 crore for operation and management of the scheme.
The canteens serve vegetarian food including roti (bread), lentils, rice and vegetables. Meals are served in steel plates and the billing is fully computerised. PTI VIT VIT ARB ARB
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