metro india news  I hyderabad

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has unveiled a major overhaul of its popular Rs 5 subsidized meal initiative, now rebranded as Indira Canteens. While the announcement of a daily Rs 5 breakfast alongside the existing lunch service has been widely welcomed as a progressive step towards urban welfare, the scheme has also sparked sharp political backlash, particularly from the BJP, over the renaming of the iconic Annapurna Canteens.

Under the revamped initiative, over 158 canteens across Hyderabad will now serve both breakfast and lunch, aiming to cater to more than 40,000 beneficiaries daily. These include daily wage laborers, street vendors, and the homeless — the city’s most vulnerable residents. The breakfast menu will include nutritious South Indian staples such as Idli and Upma, with plans to expand to Dosa and Poori soon. Lunch plates have also been upgraded and will now comprise 400g Rice, 120g Sambar, 100g Vegetable Curry, and 15g Pickle — ensuring both taste and nutritional balance.

The infrastructure behind these canteens is also being modernized. Makeshift setups will be replaced with permanent buildings equipped with clean seating arrangements and drinking water facilities. Rs 10 crore budget has been earmarked for this infrastructure overhaul.

The Hare Krishna Foundation, which has been managing lunch operations, will now oversee both meals to ensure consistent quality and hygiene. To further bolster the initiative, GHMC has appointed a Standing Committee to monitor performance and address grievances. However, this major welfare push has been overshadowed by political controversy over the canteen's renaming.

BJP condemns ‘Annapurna’ to ‘Indira’ renaming as religious insult

The Telangana BJP has strongly objected to the Congress-led government’s decision to rename Annapurna Canteens as Indira Canteens, calling it “an affront to Hindu cultural sentiments” and a “disgraceful politicization of a noble public welfare program.” Telangana BJP chief spokesperson N.V. Subhash accused the Congress of erasing cultural heritage by replacing the name of Goddess Annapurna — revered as the deity of nourishment — with that of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, especially on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.

Subhash argued that the original name carried spiritual and civilizational weight, reflecting the dharmic tradition of Anna Daanam (the sacred act of feeding). “This is not a party initiative; it's a taxpayer-funded public scheme. Using it to glorify a political dynasty is unethical and autocratic,” he said. The BJP also framed the move as part of a broader pattern of “minority appeasement” and cultural dilution by the Congress and warned of statewide protests if the decision is not reversed.