Ahead of polls, BJP mimics welfare models with ‘Atal Canteens’ for underprivileged

In a bid to appeal underprivileged communities ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP on Friday unveiled its ‘Sankalp Patra’ (election manifesto), highlighting welfare schemes for the poor.

A major announcement was the launch of ‘Atal Canteens’ in every ‘Jhuggi Basti’ cluster across the city. These canteens will provide hot, cooked meals for just Rs 5, aimed at supporting slum dwellers and economically disadvantaged groups.

The initiative mirrors similar schemes by other parties, including Tamil Nadu’s ‘Amma Unavagam’ (launched in 2013), Karnataka’s ‘Indira Canteen’ (launched by the Congress in 2017) and West Bengal’s ‘Maa Canteen’ (2021), all of which gained popularity for offering subsidised meals.

For instance, the ‘Amma Unavagam’ serves idlis for Rs 1 and rice meals start at Rs 3, while the ‘Maa Canteen’ provides meals such as rice, dal and egg curry for Rs 5.

The BJP’s ‘Atal Canteens’ aim to replicate this success in Delhi, targeting impoverished communities, especially those living in slums and informal settlements.

During the pandemic in 2021, the AAP had also launched a food relief programme, the ‘Mukhyamantri Poshahar Yojana’, providing meals to homeless shelter residents in partnership with the Akshaya Patra Foundation.

With the Delhi Assembly elections approaching, the BJP’s Atal Canteen proposal is being positioned as a key welfare initiative to garner support from Delhi’s urban poor.