Quality of food, cleanliness in kitchens and canteens, and whether the scheme has reached the intended beneficiaries will be checked

After multiple probes into allegations of poor quality of food and inflated bills, the Indira Canteens are now being audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Established by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with funds from the State government in 2017, the canteens, which serve food at subsidised rates, have been mired in controversy, with the latest probe being ordered by the BJP government.

According to highly-placed sources in the BBMP, the CAG team has begun auditing the canteens, including visiting a few in the city. “We received a letter from CAG seeking further information about the canteens and the centralised kitchens. The BBMP has been directed to furnish documents,” a source said.

The letter has been sent to the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department (UDD), Deputy Secretary (Indira Canteen), UDD; the BBMP Commissioner; and BBMP’s Joint Commissioner (Finance).

According to the letter, a copy of which is with The Hindu, the CAG has sought information on quality of food, how it is prepared in the centralised kitchens, maintaining cleanliness in kitchens and canteens, and whether the scheme has reached the intended beneficiaries.

Internal audit

Meanwhile, the BBMP has taken up an internal audit of the Indira Canteens and kitchens. However, this internal audit, officials stated, is taken up periodically, mainly to ensure that there is no slip in either quality of food served or in the performance of the canteens. The previous audit was taken up in February this year, officials pointed out.

According to officials, marshals and BBMP staff at the canteens have been directed to record the feedback of beneficiaries coming to the canteens every day. “Following the audit in February, some minor changes in billing and food were recommended, which were put in place,” officials added.

Status of probe

Ever since the Indira Canteens were opened, there have been allegations against the management, billing and number of plates sold. Complaints have been filed against the BBMP and its officials with the Lokayukta, Anti Corruption Bureau, Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force.

Even Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities. According to sources, following Mr. Yediyurappa's direction in August this year, Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar instructed the Urban Development Department to investigate. A team has been formed and an investigation is in progress, sources said.

Tenders to be finalised in January

The contract of the two contractors Indira Canteens – Cheftalk Food and Hospitality Services Pvt. Ltd. And Rewards – ended in August earlier this year. The BBMP is yet to finalise the tenders floated to finalise the contractors for the running of both the kitchens and canteens.

According to senior officials, the two contractors have been given an extension to continue until the tender is finalised. Admitting to a delay in floating the tender due to a technical glitch, officials said the tender will be finalised in the first week of January 2020.

Officials said there were four packages in the tender. While there were four bidders for one package, the other three packages have received two bidders each. “The technical evaluation of the bidders is under way. They have been asked to furnish some documents,” they added.

About Indira Canteens

Indira Canteens were an ambitious social welfare scheme announced in the 2017-18 State Budget by the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in March 2017. A sum of ₹100 crore was set aside for setting up the canteens in all the 198 wards in the city.

To begin with, as many as 101 canteens and a couple of centralised kitchens were inaugurated on August 16, 2017. As of now, there are 174 Indira Canteens, 15 mobile canteens, and 20 centralised kitchens in the city.