Coronavirus: Poor, homeless to get free food at Indira Canteens

The BBMP will distribute food for free through Indira Canteens to the poor and homeless who would be hit harder by the lockdown.

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa reportedly instructed the officials to distribute free food, acknowledging the inconvenience to the poor and the homeless as a result of the lockdown. Though hotels could be open
during the lockdown, they can only send parcels through delivery services, something that will hit the poor the hardest.

“Every canteen supervisor has been asked to estimate the number of people eating food at the Indira Canteens daily, get that certified by the health officers and use the numbers to get food from the caterers,” BBMP commissioner BH Anil Kumar said.

He has ordered officials to serve free food to the poor and daily wage labourers. He also said the next days’ food will be ordered based on the previous day’s numbers. “If the requirement is more, we’ll prepare fresh food and distribute to the poor,” Kumar said.

The BBMP has arranged for handwashing with soap and sanitizers. Officials advised people to maintain social distancing while queuing up at the counter.