Iskcon agrees to take up Namma Canteen project in city

 The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) has agreed in principle to take up the Namma Canteen project in the city.

The government had announced setting up 198 such subsidised canteens, one in each ward of the 198 Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike wards. On Tuesday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader had convened a meeting with the BBMP officials and Iskcon executives to finalise the modalities. Iskcon representatives said they were ready to take up the project with the available capacity. There are certain other issues to be finalised, said sources.

Vinay Kumar of Iskcon who attended the meeting told DH: “We have conveyed that we are happy to partner with the government. We have the capacity to take up the project.”

He said the BBMP has to finalise the locations and other infrastructure for these canteens and Iskcon will supply the food. He explained that the food will be served on the basis of per plate and not per person.

BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said the target is to kickstart this project across the city on June 1.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said, "We invited NGOs who could take up our project. We are going to consult all the city MLAs too to set up these canteens.”