New Delhi: Marking the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Delhi government on Sunday said they achieved their target of opening 100 Atal Canteens across the city, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announcing that the subsidised meal scheme will now also cater to university students.
Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated 25 new canteens, taking the total to 100.
Calling the initiative a tribute to Vajpayee's vision of Antyodaya, Naidu said providing affordable and nutritious food to the poor, slum dwellers and migrant workers was "a true example of sensitivity and service toward the most vulnerable sections of society." He congratulated the Delhi government for completing the target on Vajpayee's death anniversary.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the milestone reflected the government's commitment to ensuring that "no individual sleeps hungry in the nation's capital." Announcing the expansion of the scheme to university areas, she said, "Needy students can now access nutritious and affordable food at the Atal Canteen. The government stands with them and will ensure their hunger is satisfied."
Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood described the initiative as "a resolve to honour the hardworking hands building Delhi," adding that the canteens were not merely about low-cost meals but about protecting the dignity of labourers and economically weaker sections.
Launched by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) on December 25, 2025, the scheme offers nutritious meals at Rs 5. According to the government, around 95 lakh subsidised meals have already been served, while the 100 canteens now have the capacity to feed nearly one lakh people every day and serve about 3.65 crore meals annually. The 25 newly inaugurated canteens have been set up across hospitals, metro stations, resettlement colonies, JJ clusters and market areas, including Delhi University Metro station, AIIMS, LNJP Hospital, Anand Vihar and Narela.