Khader: Indira Canteens to soon have electronic weighing scales

Electronic weighing machines will be installed at Indira Canteens in Dakshina Kannada district to ensure that adequate quantity of food is supplied to customers, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U T Khader said.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the minister said that the government will not compromise on the quality and quantity of the food being supplied.

As per the guidelines to the food supplier, three idlis in the morning breakfast should weigh 150 gram while chutney should weigh 100 gram.

The meals should weigh between 300 gram to 450 gram depending on each item.

If anyone has any doubt on the quantity, then they can weigh and check, he said.

Only Rs 25 would be charged for each person at
Rs 5 for breakfast and Rs 10 each for lunch and dinner at the Indira Canteen.

The remaining expenditure will be borne by the government, the minister said.

The ULBs should ensure that the Indira canteens do not face water crisis and maintain cleanliness along with a regular supply of electricity, he said and added that the district level committee has cleared the demand to serve pickle in the meals.

He said that a demand for boiled rice was made by people when he visited an Indira Canteen in Mangaluru.

Further, people have also demanded 'palya' instead of curd rice and also demanded boiled rice. The decision to supply boiled rice and palya will be taken by the state-level committee.

The contractors providing food at the Indira Canteens have been directed to give priority to physically challenged persons, lone women and senior citizens while issuing tokens for food at the canteen.

"I have also suggested changing the timings of breakfast from 8 am to 7 am to help the labour class," Khader said.

The Indira Canteen at Ullal will be inaugurated on March 23.

Water supply

The minister said that he has directed the officials to ensure that there is no shortage of drinking water during peak summer.

A proposal for a Rs 50 lakh grant to take up emergency works related to water supply has been submitted to the department of rural development and panchayat raj.

"I have urged the minister to release the grant early so as to ensure that code of conduct does not come in the way of development works. If any village in a gram panchayat faces acute shortage of water, the GP authorities can supply water through tankers for a week and later submit bills to the deputy commissioner. If the water supply to the affected areas goes beyond one week, then the engineer and tahsildar should certify and submit a report to the deputy commissioner seeking a release of grants for the supply of water through tankers," he said.

The respective gram panchayat PDO and secretary will be held responsible if there is any shortage of drinking water in a particular village, he said.