- Atal Canteens will offer full meals at Rs 5 per plate near construction sites and slum clusters
- Rs 100 crore was allocated in the 2025-26 Budget to establish these canteens in Delhi
- The initiative aims to benefit daily wage workers and the urban poor with subsidised meals
The Delhi government is planning to launch 100 Atal Canteens across the national capital, with the inauguration expected to take place on September 17 - to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, government sources told NDTV.
The Atal Canteens, which will offer full meals at Rs 5 per plate, were one of the key promises in BJP's 2025 election manifesto. The initiative aims to provide nutritious meals at highly subsidised rates near major construction sites and slum clusters, benefitting daily wage workers and the urban poor.
While presenting the 2025-26 Budget earlier this year, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta allocated Rs 100 crore to set up 100 Atal Canteens across Delhi.
"This is a significant step toward ensuring food security for Delhi's most vulnerable populations," a senior official said, adding that preparations to set up the canteens are in advanced stages.
The project is being launched in the year marking the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in whose memory the canteens are named.
A similar initiative was launched by the BJP in Haryana four years ago, introducing Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens in agricultural mandis, which provided a simple meal of chapatis, rice, dal, and vegetables for Rs 10. Around 30 such canteens are currently running across Haryana.
The official plan for Delhi's Atal Canteens is expected to be announced soon.
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