Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta made the announcement on Tuesday that the government in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget has provided ₹100 crore to set up 100 Atal Canteens in the capital. The program is to ensure affordable and nutritious food for economically weaker sections, a major BJP poll promise.
Historic Budget for Delhi’s Development
Finance Minister Rekha Gupta also gave a ₹1 lakh crore budget for FY 2025-26, up 31.5% from last year. She described it as a “historic Budget,” stating that the days of corruption and inefficiency were over. The government has doubled capital spending at ₹28,000 crore, investing in infrastructure development like roads, sewerage, and water supply.
“This is not an ordinary budget. Delhi and the entire country are watching this. They all have very hope with the new government. This budget is not just an account or ledger; this is a budget of transformation from a bad economy to Viksit Delhi. The Delhi government’s budget this year is ₹1 lakh crores. This budget is historic. We are presenting a budget of ₹1 lakh crore. This is 31.5 percent more than last year,” CM Gupta said in the assembly.
What are Atal Canteens?
Atal Canteens are subsidized food stalls that offer healthy meals at reasonable prices to poor people. They were named after the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and are intended to reduce hunger and help economically backward sections of society.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had committed to introducing the Atal Canteen Scheme in its 2025 election manifesto. The scheme will establish canteens in all slum clusters, providing hot, cooked food at a mere ₹5. Modeled after Tamil Nadu’s Amma Canteens and Karnataka’s Indira Canteens, the project will provide food security to the poor.
Key Allocations in Delhi Budget 2025-26
Mahila Samridhi Yojana: ₹5,100 crore
Capital Expenditure: ₹28,000 crore
Infrastructure Development for NCR Connectivity: ₹1,000 crore
Atal Canteens: ₹100 crore
Other Initiatives in Other States
Haryana: Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens
The government of Haryana launched Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens to make food cheap and available to farm workers and laborers at Mandis (farmers’ markets). For a mere ₹10, the laborers get a plate of chapatis, rice, dal, and seasonal vegetables.
At first, the canteens functioned during procurement seasons, but in July 2023, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said they would function year-round.
Madhya Pradesh: Atal Indore City Transport Services
Madhya Pradesh has also implemented initiatives under Atal schemes, providing affordable services to its residents.
The introduction of Atal Canteens in Delhi is a huge step in the direction of social welfare, providing economically weaker sections with access to hygienic, low-cost meals. Allocated ₹100 crore, the CM Rekha Gupta government is taking tangible steps towards realizing its election assurances and enhancing the living standards of the less privileged citizens of Delhi.
