Delhi Rolls Out 100 Atal Canteens Offering Nutritious Thali at ₹5.

Big Welfare Push in Delhi: CM Rekha Gupta Inaugurates Atal Canteens Offering Nutritious Meals at Just RS.5

To mark the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Delhi government on December 25, 2025, launched the first phase of the Atal Canteen scheme, offering nutritious meals at just Rs.5 to daily wage workers, students and the urban poor. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated 45 Atal Canteens, with 55 more set to become operational within the next 15 days, taking the total to 100 canteens across the capital.

Each thali, which costs around Rs.30 to prepare, is subsidised by Rs.25 by the government and is served through a digital, biometric-linked token system to ensure transparency. Strategically located near JJ clusters, industrial areas and transport hubs, the canteens can serve around 1,000 meals per day per centre, covering both lunch and dinner.

The 600-gram satvik meal includes rice or millets, chapatis, dal, seasonal vegetables and sides, prepared in decentralised kitchens under strict hygiene norms. Operating from 11.30 am to 4 pm and 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm, the canteens are monitored via CCTV, use RO drinking water and LPG-based cooking, and undergo regular food quality checks by FSSAI and NABL-accredited laboratories.

The initiative is being positioned as a major welfare push to ensure food security, dignity and affordability for Delhi’s working poor while strengthening transparency and nutritional standards in public food programmes.