Kochi Corporation to seek central funds for Indira Canteen expansion
Kochi Corporation will pitch expansion of its Indira Canteen under central schemes. First unit opened March 14 amid LDF protests.
The Kochi Corporation is set to approach the Union government with a proposal to expand its budget-priced Indira Canteen initiative under central funding schemes. The move comes weeks after the first outlet of the subsidised food brand was inaugurated in the city.
The first Indira Canteen unit was opened on March 14, but its launch was marked by protests from the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF). The LDF has alleged that the initiative is a deliberate attempt to undermine Samridhi@Kochi, a popular budget eatery brand launched by the previous LDF-led council in 2021.
The Corporation's plan to scale up the Indira Canteen network through central schemes is expected to be taken up in the coming weeks, with the civic body preparing a detailed proposal. The expansion, if approved, would add more outlets across the city, offering affordable meals to residents.
The political friction surrounding the canteen's launch reflects the broader contest over public welfare initiatives in the city, with the ruling and opposition factions staking claim to popular food-security programmes.