Bengaluru, March 11 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday announced that at at least 600 Indira canteens will come up across the state ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

'Indira Canteens will serve breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch at Rs 10 for all,' the Chief Minister said while speaking to the media after inaugurating the Indira Canteen at Kempe Gowda International Airport in Bengaluru organised by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

'We are starting 188 new Indira canteens in Bengaluru. Two canteens are being started as per the demand of taxi drivers and other drivers to start Indira canteens near the airport. Of these, 40 have already been completed and the rest are underway,' the Chief Minister said.

He said that Indira Canteen was required at Kempe Gowda Airport. 'One has already been inaugurated and another Indira Canteen is coming up here. Its purpose is to provide meals and breakfast to the poor at low rates,' the Chief Minister said.

He said that the food menu has also been changed and a dining hall has been arranged.

'Indira canteens will be set up in every ward of Bangalore and also in other parts of the state. The previous government did not provide meals and some of them have been closed. We have restarted the programme because the poor need to eat,' the Chief Minister said.

On drinking water issue in Bangalore, the Chief Minister said that he has given clear instructions that the drinking water should not be disrupted for any reason.

/IANS