Amaravati, April 15 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asserted that true development is achieved only when the hunger of the poor is satisfied.

He believes that no matter how much development is achieved, it is all in vain if the poor are deprived of even a square meal. For this very reason, he explained, 'Anna Canteens' have been established across the state to alleviate the hunger of the needy.

He was speaking at the inauguration of 'Anna Canteen' in Dharanikota of Palnadu district.

The Chief Minister purchased a token for Rs 5 and sat down to dine alongside the labourers. Prior to this, he personally served food to the poor and labourers who had gathered at the canteen.

Engaging in conversation with the beneficiaries, the Chief Minister partook of his meal right there within the 'Anna Canteen' premises. He also inquired about the taste, hygiene, and quality of the food being served at the 'Anna Canteens.'

CM Naidu recalled that former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) pioneered the food security scheme by providing rice at just Rs 2 per kilogram. NTR had declared that serving a morsel of food to the poor is true politics, he said.

He claimed that welfare has been an integral part of the TDP’s ideology. From the Rs 2-per-kilo rice scheme of the past to the 'Anna Canteens' of today, we have consistently accorded the highest priority to food security, he said.

Immediately after assuming power in 2024, we set about establishing 'Anna Canteens' across the state. We initially launched these canteens in urban areas. Starting today, 62 'Anna Canteens' have become operational in rural areas as well. With the existing 204 canteens in urban areas and the 65 in villages, the total count has now risen to 269. Another five canteens are currently being readied and will be operational very soon, the Chief Minister said.

He commended the Akshaya Patra Foundation for continuously supplying food to the 'Anna Canteens.' Over the past 25 years, this foundation has supplied 500 crore meals. The meals provided at Anna Canteens for just Rs 5 serve as a lifeline for the poor, auto-rickshaw drivers, manual labourers, and daily wage earners.

“We have provided the opportunity for people to satisfy their hunger three times a day. On average, 1,013 people partake in meals daily at each individual Anna Canteen. The operational cost for this amounts to Rs 26,250 per day. Currently, 2.10 lakh people across the state are having their meals through the Anna Canteens every day. This entails a daily expenditure of over Rs 54 lakh. Now, for the 62 newly established rural Anna Canteens, the food subsidy alone will cost an additional Rs 18 lakh per day, amounting to Rs 58 crore annually,” CM Naidu said.

He revealed that Rs 43 crore was spent on the construction of these new canteens. Over the past 21 months, 8.80 crore meals have been served at the Anna Canteens. The government has so far spent Rs 243 crore towards the Anna Canteen subsidy.

--IANS

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