A town in Italy that has denied school meals and bus services to the children of migrant families has been denounced as “despicable” by critics but applauded by the country’s hard-line interior minister, Matteo Salvini.

Around 200 children have been affected by the controversial new measures in Lodi, a town in the northern region of Lombardy that is run by the hard-Right League party.

Matteo Salvini, who is head of The League as well as interior minister and deputy prime minister, praised the mayor of the town on Monday, saying: “The gravy train is finished.”

But opposition MPs criticised the policy as “shameful” and verging on “apartheid”.

It is the latest manifestation of an increasingly hostile climate for foreigners in Italy, after the populist coalition banned NGO rescue ships from disembarking migrants and refugees in Italian ports.

Sara Casanova, the mayor of Lodi, decreed that migrant parents must submit paperwork from their countries of origin showing what, if any, property, assets and money they own.

“The mayor has done well,” said Mr Salvini, who has led a crackdown on refugees and migrants since coming to power in June.

“If there are people who have money, houses or land in their home countries, why should we give them services for free, while Italians pay for everything? Enough, the gravy train is finished. This is not racism, it’s justice and good sense.”