Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday laid the foundation stone for an upcoming Atal Canteen at Sanjay Basti in Timarpur, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring that no citizen in the national capital slept hungry. The initiative forms part of a larger rollout under which 100 Atal Canteens would begin operations across Delhi on December 25, marking the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Addressing residents and dignitaries, the CM said, “It is the government’s firm resolve that no citizen should go to bed hungry,” adding, “The canteens will offer freshly prepared, nutritious meals to the needy for just Rs 5.” She noted that the project aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Garib Kalyan’ and emphasised her administration’s commitment to “serving the people with sincerity and dedication.”

Highlighting decades of neglect in slum clusters, Gupta criticised earlier governments for failing to meet the people’s basic needs. She said her government had made “a special provision of Rs 700 crore for the development of slum areas” and reaffirmed that the government was “not here to demolish slums but is committed to ensuring dignity and access to essential amenities for every family living in these areas.”