‘Atal Canteen Scheme’, dedicated to the spirit of public service, Antyodaya and providing facilities to the last person of the society, of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has achieved an important milestone on Sunday. The Delhi government completed the resolution of 100 Atal canteens started on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 25 December 2025, in 8 months.
on 16th August Atal Bihari Vajpayee On the occasion of his death anniversary, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated 25 new Atal canteens from University Metro Station in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, MP Manoj Tiwari, Delhi Government Cabinet Minister Ashish Sood.
According to the Chief Minister, now this canteen will provide nutritious food to the university students also. In this program, MLA Surya Prakash Khatri, public representatives, senior officials and officers and employees of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) were present. On this occasion, all the guests had food in the Atal canteen and also observed the quality and arrangement of food being provided under the scheme.
Atal Canteen example of service spirit: Venkaiah Naidu
On this occasion, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said that the launch of 100 Atal canteens in Delhi is a highly commendable initiative, the objective of which is to provide affordable and nutritious food to the poor, slum dwellers, workers and people coming from different parts of the country for employment in Delhi.
He said that this is not an ordinary scheme, but an example of sensitivity and service towards the neediest sections of the society.
University students will get nutritious food
In the program, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that completion of the target of 100 Atal canteens is an important achievement for the Delhi government. This initiative is also a meaningful tribute dedicated to Atal ji’s spirit of Antyodaya and ideals of public service.
He said that today a canteen has also been opened near Delhi University Metro Station. In this university area, students leave their families and live in hostels and PG rooms. Now needy students can eat nutritious and cheap food in this canteen. He told the students not to worry, your government is with you and Atal Canteen will also work to fill your stomach.
He said that schemes like Atal Canteen are a medium to bring the sensitivity and spirit of service of the government to the ground. Referring to the resolution of ‘Where there is a slum, there is a house’, the Chief Minister said that earlier only the slums that came into existence before the year 2015 were recognised, whereas now the government has taken steps towards recognizing and providing housing to the slums built before January 1, 2025 also.
Government’s responsibility to take care of food for the poor
Delhi Government’s Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said that Atal Canteen is not just a scheme to provide cheap food, but a pledge to honor the hardworking hands who built Delhi. The hard work of lakhs of workers is behind the daily maintenance of Delhi’s roads, metro, markets, big buildings and houses. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the government to worry about their food and respect.
Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) started Atal Canteen on 25 December 2025 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After this, canteens were started continuously within the stipulated time and today the target of 100 was completed with the inauguration of 25 new canteens. During this period, so far about 95 lakh subsidized meals have been made available to the public through Atal Canteen Yojana.
Food to 1 lakh people every day in 100 Atal canteens
Through these canteens, food is being provided to the beneficiaries every day without any holiday. Nutritious food is being provided in these canteens for just Rs 5. At present, through these 100 Atal canteens, food can be provided to about 1 lakh people every day.
These canteens have the capacity to provide approximately 3.65 crore meals (thalis) in a year. The Delhi government had promised the people of Delhi in its manifesto during the assembly elections to set up 100 Atal canteens. Fulfilling this resolution in a time-bound manner, the government has dedicated all 100 Atal canteens to the service of the people of Delhi within just eight months.
