Delhi Govt Launches Atal Canteens: ₹5 Meals For All—Will This Scheme Succeed?

Delhi’s Finance Minister Rekha Gupta presented the Budget for the financial year 2025-26, with a record outlay of ₹1 lakh crore, marking a significant 31.5% increase from the previous year. Calling it a “historic Budget,” Gupta emphasized that corruption and inefficiency would no longer be tolerated as the government aims for a major transformation.

A key highlight of the Budget is the doubling of capital expenditure to ₹28,000 crore, focusing on infrastructure projects, including roads, sewer systems, and water supply.

“This is not just an ordinary budget. The whole country is watching this. People have high hopes from the new government. This is a budget of transformation, moving from a struggling economy to a ‘Viksit Delhi’ (Developed Delhi),” Chief Minister Gupta said during the Budget presentation in the assembly.

Key Budget Allocations

• Mahila Samridhi Yojana: ₹5,100 crore allocated for women’s welfare and economic empowerment.

• Infrastructure Development: ₹28,000 crore designated for roads, sewer systems, and water supply.

• NCR Connectivity: ₹1,000 crore set aside to improve transportation links with the National Capital Region (NCR).

Introduction of Atal Canteens in Delhi

A major initiative introduced in the Budget is the Atal Canteen Scheme, which was a key promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2025 election manifesto. These canteens aim to provide hot, nutritious meals for just ₹5 to economically disadvantaged individuals, particularly in slum clusters.

The Atal Canteen model takes inspiration from:

• Amma Canteens (Tamil Nadu) – Low-cost meals for the poor.

• Indira Canteens (Karnataka) – Subsidized food services for the needy.

• Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens (Haryana) – Affordable food for farmers and laborers in agricultural markets (mandis).

In Haryana, the government’s Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens have been providing meals for ₹10, including chapatis, rice, dal, and seasonal vegetables. Initially operational only during procurement seasons, they were made available year-round in 2023 by then-Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

A Step Towards Economic and Social Welfare

The Delhi government’s ₹1 lakh crore budget marks a major investment in infrastructure and welfare schemes. With a strong focus on women’s empowerment, connectivity, and affordable food services, the new policies aim to make daily life easier for economically weaker sections of society.

ALSO READ: BJP Launches ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ Campaign to Aid 32 Lakh Underprivileged Muslims During Eid