Amid demand from a section of BJP leaders for changing the name of public Canteen in Bengaluru Municipality limits, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Finance Commissioner Tulasi Maddineni has said that Indira Canteens name will not be changed. Addressing the Press, following allegations that bills of contractors supplying food and managing the canteen, are yet to be cleared, Maddineni said that bills will be settled and said that the Palike has already settled bills of two of the agencies.
Other bills will also be cleared based on the BBMP Marshalls deployed at canteens and their inputs, he said. Marshalls get exact details of daily supply and collection, and whatever difference of amount has come, that will be examined and orders for the same have been passed.
Based on the direction from former BBMP chief, Gaurav Gupta, bills up to 4 months till April 2020 have been settled. Last week, orders have been passed and bills for May (2020) will be cleared. She said that last week, the budget for BBMP has been cleared and the process for works at zonal level can be taken up. The Commissioner has signed implementation orders. The officials at zonal level can list works, go for tenders and issue job code, she said.
The commissioner also informed that with Iskcon supplying food to poura karmikas and government schools, the BBMP made a proposal to hand over the canteen to same organisation for supplying food and the proposal is sent to Urban Development Department.
She said the Iskcon has quoted Rs 78 for food per person but discussions are underway to reduce it. At present, the food is supplied at Rs 55.30 per person. The rate compared to 2017 and 2022 is definitely up, but we are charging the rates as per 2017. No extra amount will be charged and breakfast at Rs 5, lunch and dinner at Rs 10 is fixed, she said.
Compensation for rain damages given
BBMP has received 3,011 applications for rain-related damage claims. All the applicants except 476 which have IFSC code issues have been given the amount. Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai, after inspecting the city following heavy rain to assess the damages, has announced compensation of Rs 25,000.
She also spoke on the storm water drain wall collapse incident which happened two days ago and said that at Kalidasa Layout in Bengaluru South, the Technical Vigilance Committee has given its initial report.
