Breakfast for ₹3, lunch for ₹5: Yogi govt plans ‘bhojnalayas’ in state

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to emulate the successful ‘Amma canteen’ model of Tamil Nadu, where heavily subsidised and nutritious meals are made available to the economically weak.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to sit through a presentation by labour department officials on April 12 on ‘Annapurna Bhojnalayas’.

Labour minister Swami Prasad Maurya and urban development minister Suresh Khanna are expected to give finishing touches to the scheme that seeks to provide breakfast for ₹3 and lunch for as little as ₹5.

The BJP-ruled Rajasthan also has a similar scheme where it provides breakfast for ₹5 and lunch and dinner for ₹8.

The scheme in UP could be launched from Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and Gorakhpur, officials said. The government plans to run about 200 such subsidised meal canteens in the state.

The labour department is working round-the-clock to ready the presentation. During its presentation before the chief minister, the urban development department is also expected to put up a proposal about opening gaushalas in each UP district.

The government has already launched a crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses. The urban development department that also governs the municipal corporations, which grant licences to slaughter houses and meat shops, is also expected to ready a proposal to regulate meat shops.

“No illegal slaughterhouses or meat shops will be granted a licence. However, our government won’t target those who comply with norms,” Khanna said ahead of his department’s presentation.