Are Anna Canteens, one of the pet projects of the former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, being closed?
Sources say the present service provider Hare Krishna Charitable Foundation, that runs the Akshaya Patra midday meal scheme and to whom the cooking and supply of food has been outsourced, has been asked to supply the last meal on July 31 night.
Though the foundation has not been given any official letter from the Director of Municipal Administration, that takes care of the canteen, it has reportedly been told verbally to stop the supply. Earlier, the foundation was told to stop supply from July 11, but it was later extended to July 31.
It is learnt that the foundation had approached the authorities concerned to take a final count of the assets and stock, so that it could be handed over smoothly on July 31.
But what was not clear was whether the service provider only had been asked to cease operation and the operation be handed over to another provider, or the concept of Anna Canteen would be discontinued or whether it would be launched in a different avatar.
The construction and running of the canteens is under the control of DMA. The officials concerned were not forthcoming on the future of the canteens.