Dakshina Kannada canteen model for state
Indira Canteens launched, high-quality food
Mangaluru, July 13: The Congress government's ambitious Indira Canteen project is about to complete one year of its journey. In the Dakshina Kannada canteens, high-quality food is being provided at the lowest price. With this, the canteens in the districts have become a model for the state.
While there have been complaints regarding the delay in the launching of the project and supply of poor quality food at various places in the state, the five Indira canteens of Dakshina Kannada, located at Lady Goshen near State Bank, Urwa Store near Mangaluru Urban Development Authority, Kavuru, Thokkottu, and Surathkal; are giving high performance.
Indira Canteen Project successful
If the quality of food, cleanliness, and staff in these five canteens is observed; there is no doubt that these canteens have a distinguishing factor compared to others in the state.
In the canteens across the state, food is being provided as per the respective food culture of the particular regions. Even in the coastal region, Kuchalakki (Parboiled rice) is being served especially. White rice is also being supplied.
More than 7,000 people are visiting the five canteens in the district daily to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since there are many government offices, hospitals and markets in Lady Goshen; a large number of people are visiting the canteen there. However, in contrast to this, the number of beneficiaries at Thokkottu canteen is meager.
Massive ‘Mother Kitchen’ at Urwa Store
A massive 'Mother Kitchen' has been established at Indira Canteen at Urwa store near Muda. The food is being transported from here to remaining four canteens for three times in a day. Around 29 staff members are working in the mother kitchen. The contract of the food supply has been given to Sai Hospitality Services.
No health officer is appointed to check the food safety at the canteens. However, a health officer voluntarily visits the canteens and examines the quality of food.
Soon to begin at Pumpwell
The canteen constructed in Pumpwell will soon be inaugurated. The inauguration was withheld in the view of election code of conduct. ‘The canteen will begin to serve people from next week,’ the DC has replied to an MMC letter.
The Indira Canteen built in Pumpwell will soon be inaugurated.
- Mohammad Nazeer, Commissioner, MMC
I come for dinner at Urwa Store Indira Canteen every day. The quality of food is high here.
Suresh, beneficiary
Fast food shops face no problem by the supply of food at Indira Canteens. It is helpful for many. We have our customers.
-Nagaraj, owner of a fast food shop at State Bank
More people are visiting Indira canteen day by day. Indira Canteens are already functioning in Thokkottu, Lady Goshen, Urwa Store, Surathkal, and Kavoor. Soon, an Indira Canteen will be opened at Pumpwell.
- Prabhakar Shetty, Managing Director of Sai Hospitality Services
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
