Not closing Indira canteens but want probe on functioning: CM

The Karnataka government is not planning to close down Indira canteens but wanted a detailed inquiry into their functioning, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Wednesday.

Yediyurappa's statement comes in the wake of reports that the canteens, the pet project of the previous Congress government to provide highly subsidised food to the urban poor, are on the verge of closure as neither the state government nor the Bengaluru corporation (BBMP) have made any budgetary allocations.

"There is no truth in it (closing the Indira canteen). We will only conduct an inquiry into the operations of Indira Canteen if there are some irregularities," he told reporters here.

Yediyurappa explained that there were reports about inflated bills like 100 people were shown on records as 1,000 people having meals in the canteens.

On non-release of funds by the government, Yediyurappa said, "The BBMP has to pay the funds and they will release it. Fund is not an issue. We need to curb irregularities because 100 people were shown on records as 1,000 people having meals there."
Hitting out at the BJP government, he said "denial of funds for the canteens reflect their lack of concern for the economically weaker sections."