Vijayawada:Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has called for efforts to ensure that nobody starves for food in Andhra Pradesh, which is known as “Annapurna,” as it produces food for the nation.
Naidu, along with his wife Bhuvaneswari, visited the Anna Canteen located at Patamata in the city on Monday morning and had breakfast.
Earlier, to mark the 76th birthday of the CM, Bhuvaneswari donated ₹76 lakh so that free breakfast, lunch and dinner could be provided to people visiting all Anna Canteens in the state.
Interacting with those who visited the Anna Canteen in Patamata for their breakfast, Naidu asked them about implementation of AP’s welfare schemes, including Thalliki Vandanam and free bus ride for women in RTC buses, among others.
Several people expressed their happiness as the CM along with his wife visited the Anna Canteen and took breakfast along with them. They told Chandrababu Naidu that they are getting food at ₹5 at Anna Canteen, which otherwise would cost them ₹100.
Earlier, when the Chief Minister tried to buy tokens by offering ₹10 for two plates of breakfast for himself and his wife, canteen organisers informed Naidu politely that the food is being offered free of cost on the day to all, all over the state.
Later, the CM told media that the government has set up Anna Canteens to provide quality food to people through clean premises. He said ISKCON Foundation is preparing the food at a centralised kitchen and supplying throughout Vijayawada.
He said, “I appreciate Bhuvaneswari for wholeheartedly donating ₹76 lakh so that all Anna canteens in the state could offer food free breakfast, lunch and supper for one day.”
Naidu called upon other people too to become stakeholders in such an exercise by donating money for one meal or three meals of a day without any compulsion. He said he is making such a call not because the state government is unable to offer food to the poor but he wants people to come forward and make donating free food a movement. He said running of Anna Canteens is a part of his P-4 initiative. Accordingly, he wanted 10 per cent of mentors to support 20 per cent of those who were in need.
The Chief Minister criticised the previous YSRC government for closing the Anna Canteens after it came to power. He accused Jagan Mohan Reddy government of booking false cases and arresting those who wanted to provide food by running Anna Canteens.
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