Mysuru: Indira Canteen, one of the ambitious ‘food for all’ projects of Karnataka State Government that was launched to make cities like Bengaluru and Mysuru ‘hunger free’ by serving affordable and clean food, is staring at a severe crisis.

Reason: Since the launch of the canteens in January, funds have not been released owing to various reasons.

At present, the canteens, a pet project of former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, are being maintained by food contractors and they have written to government to release money soon so that the poor are not deprived of their share of food offered at the canteens. While there are more than 100 canteens in Bengaluru, Mysuru has eleven across the city. It serves vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner. While breakfast is served for Rs.5, lunch and dinner costs Rs.10.

Sources told Star of Mysore that though the government has allocated funds in the Budget and has kept money in the reserves, money has not been released as the Election Model Code of Conduct came in the way of fund release. The poll schedule was announced in March and it was not clear who will sign the files in the absence of an elected government.

But now even after the new government has come to power and with Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan taking charge of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, files have not moved. As a result, contractors are forced to run the show.

For 2017-18 the government had allotted Rs. 100 crore for Indira Canteens. But the construction and maintenance of canteens itself had cost City Corporations of Mysuru and Bengaluru nearly Rs. 90 crore. So far, both the City Corporations and the contractors have together chipped in and have maintained the canteens. Items like rice, vegetables, pulses and spices are being purchased by the contractors from the market on credit, sources said.

Speaking to SOM this morning, Mysuru Indira Canteen food contractor M.V. Madhu said that he has got an assurance from the Deputy Commissioner and the Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner that funds will be released in a day or two.

“Funds were not released due to election code of conduct and three months back we had written letters to the government and we also informed the DC and the MCC Commissioner about the urgent need of funds. We had told them that if money was not released immediately, it would be difficult to run the         canteens,” he said.

Madhu said that despite the delay in money release, the poor have not been deprived of their meal. “We have been maintaining the quality and we have not cut down the quantity. Our sole intention is to provide affordable and quality food to the poor and people from economically weaker sections of the society. We hope that the funds are released soon for this public-friendly scheme,” Madhu added.