Overview
- The launch on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary begins phase one of a 100-site network, with canteens spread across areas such as Lajpat Nagar, RK Puram, Shalimar Bagh and Vikaspuri.
- Beneficiaries pay Rs 5 for a thali that costs about Rs 30 to produce, with the government subsidising roughly Rs 25; an official allocation of Rs 104.24 crore covers operations and management.
- Each centre serves two meals daily—lunch and dinner—targeting around 1,000 plates per day with a standard menu of dal, rice, roti, seasonal vegetable and pickle, roughly 600g providing 700–800 calories and 20–25g protein.
- Distribution uses a digital token system with real-time CCTV monitoring via DUSIB, periodic testing by FSSAI/NABL-accredited labs, and operations run by 11 selected agencies, creating about 700 jobs.
- Positioned as a BJP manifesto promise and tribute to Vajpayee, the scheme targets workers and low-income residents; early sites saw long queues, and officials noted some construction delays due to GRAP restrictions.