Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu re-launches 'Anna' Canteens

Amaravati, Aug 15 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday re-launched 'Anna' Canteens and said their main aim is that the poor should not go hungry.

Inaugurating Anna Canteen at Gudivada, he said that the Rs 5 per meal being supplied at the Anna Canteens is of great help for the poor, the daily wage earners, and the labourers.

"What more satisfaction do you have than filling the empty stomachs of the poor," the Chief Minister remarked.

Naidu and his wife Nara Bhuvaneswari had a meal with common citizens after inaugurating the canteen at Gudivada, the birthplace of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao, who was popularly known as NTR.

As NTR was affectionately called ‘Anna’ (elder brother) by people, the canteens have been named after him.

Announcing that 203 such canteens will be launched across the state, the Chief Minister said that the total expenditure for maintaining these canteens is Rs 53 lakh per day.

Stating that 100 Anna Canteens were relaunched across the state on Thursday, Naidu said by the end of September, this number will go up to 203.

He said an action plan will be formulated to run these canteens on a permanent basis and without any hurdles.

"More and more people are showing interest in liberally donating to the Anna Canteens, which were launched taking inspiration from the TDP founder, the late NT Rama Rao, and the most popular Dokka Seethamma," he added.

About 350 persons will be served food in each canteen and the number will be increased depending on how the people receive it, he said.

"We are going to spend Rs 200 crore per annum for the maintenance of these canteens," the Chief Minister said and asked why the previous government had closed these canteens.

Naidu said inaugurating a "great scheme" like Anna Canteen, particularly on the occasion of the Independence Day, was giving him immense happiness.

He recalled he had launched the Anna Canteen in Gudivada when NTR had become the chief minister for the first time.

Recalling the great services of Dokka Seethamma, who served food to whoever had come to her feeling hungry, he said that this is the reason why she remains in the hearts of the people permanently.

--IANS

ms/sha