The State government will increase the number of Indira canteens across the State, Minister for Women and Child Welfare Lakshmi Hebbalkar said in Belagavi on Wednesday.
The Minister announced this at a meeting of officials in the Belagavi City Corporation.
She said that the State government will soon issue a detailed set of instructions to re-start the low-cost eateries that were stopped by the previous government.
“I am told that six canteens were started in Belagavi city. Their numbers should be increased. Officials should conduct a survey of areas with high footfall and open such canteens. I will conduct surprise visits to such canteens to see if they are run properly. I will also eat at such canteens, along with my family members in Belagavi and other cities and towns wherever and whenever possible,” she said.
She suggested that officials should open Indira canteens in Hindalga and Vaibhav Nagar in Belagavi. She asked officials to make the canteens more women-friendly, as the number of women is expected to increase in bus stands after the introduction of free bus travel scheme.
Member of Legislative Council Channaraj Hattiholi observed that city corporation officials have not introduced housing and other schemes in the two wards in the city that are part of the Belagavi Rural Assembly constituency.
Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Member of Legislative Assembly Abhay Patil, Mayor Shobha Somanache, Deputy Mayor Reshma Patil, Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil, corporation officers and others were present.
