Mangaluru: The State government opened its first two Indira canteens, at Urwa Stores and near the service bus stand in the city on Tuesday.

According to V. Prasanna, Project Director, District Urban Development Cell, each canteen serves food to a maximum of 500 persons at a time. Thus each canteen would serve food to a maximum of 1,500 persons a day.

Breakfast would be served at 8 a.m., lunch at 12.30 p.m. and dinner at 7.30 p.m.

People will have to pay ₹5 for breakfast and ₹10 each for lunch and dinner.

He said that the contractor serving the food has quoted ₹60 per person per day. In that the contractor recovers ₹25 directly from the consumer. The balance ₹35 would be given to the contractor by the government. In that the Mangaluru City Corporation would share 70% and the labour department would contribute 30%.

According to the official two more canteens at Kavoor and Surathkal in Mangaluru City North Assembly constituency are ready but were not inaugurated on Tuesday.

A committee would review the functioning of the canteens.

Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada B. Ramanath Rai, Minister for Food and Public Distribution U.T. Khader, Mangaluru City South MLA J.R. Lobo and Mayor Kavita Sanil, MLA Ivan D’Souza tasted the food at the canteens during the inaugural sessions.