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India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

bbc.co.uk

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Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#11

Post by jasdeepsingh »

bruceb wrote: post #6
signal11 wrote: post #3

I believe these are subsidized (the article does mention economists complaining that these are a drain on the exchequer). A more subtle point is that these subsidized "canteens" are in urban India, which is already much better off than rural India, where people even now regularly die of hunger[1]. I'm not saying urban poverty isn't a real issue, but the scale of poverty in rural India is much greater. It's worth noti…

There are not that many Sikhs around. 22 million in a country of 1.2 billion. Most live in the north. You can't easily go get food from Sikhs.

You can’t easily go get food from Sikhs? As in what terms?

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#12

Post by nocoder »

I have seen these in bangalore, in fact there is one very close to my office. One of the things that concerns me with such projects is that how they effect other eateries in the area. The one near my office that opened recently is on a street with about 5 other eateries. Having a eatery which is subsidized by government distorts this local market and adversely affects the other businesses in the area since they also cater to similar demographic with largely similar products. So while on its own this might be a good initiative, the economic impact of such initiatives might be more harmful to the local area economy. It s like creating more homeless so you can built shelter homes. A better way to do the same thing might be just to issue food vouchers which the people can use to by the food of their choice from any of the other eateries. It provides affordable food to those who cannot afford and also supports the smaller businesses.

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#13

Post by geodel »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #2

> Economists say the canteens are a burden on the exchequer but they are a hit with politicians in a country where hundreds of millions of people live on less than a dollar a day The difference between these projects and soup kitchens is these are chiefly political projects. The state borrows to pay for patronage and largesse. No doubt, the vendors were not selected through an open auction.

The deprivation is rather severe in India. You would notice most of the people are doing full day of work and eat there. In US typical person who eat at a soup kitchen would quite likely be non-working/homeless.

I have had my well-off friends in India where 4 person family dinner will cost more than monthly salary of their car driver. And it is simultaneously true that driver's salary is quite less and a decent restaurant meal is very expensive.

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#15

Post by vowelless »

signal11 wrote: post #3

I believe these are subsidized (the article does mention economists complaining that these are a drain on the exchequer). A more subtle point is that these subsidized "canteens" are in urban India, which is already much better off than rural India, where people even now regularly die of hunger[1]. I'm not saying urban poverty isn't a real issue, but the scale of poverty in rural India is much greater. It's worth noti…

> It's worth noting that you can get free food in many places in India (and in some cities in Europe and the US), via the Sikh langar[2] which is funded by charity and volunteers.

Incidentedly, Indira Gandhi (After whom the Indira canteen is named) was assassinated by Sikhs. Does the naming of the canteen have anything to do with the assassination ?

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#16

Post by mark212 »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #2

> Economists say the canteens are a burden on the exchequer but they are a hit with politicians in a country where hundreds of millions of people live on less than a dollar a day The difference between these projects and soup kitchens is these are chiefly political projects. The state borrows to pay for patronage and largesse. No doubt, the vendors were not selected through an open auction.

maybe that's not so bad. Wouldn't it be great to have political parties competing as to who best can provide food to the poor?

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#17

Post by mark212 »

nocoder wrote: post #12

I have seen these in bangalore, in fact there is one very close to my office. One of the things that concerns me with such projects is that how they effect other eateries in the area. The one near my office that opened recently is on a street with about 5 other eateries. Having a eatery which is subsidized by government distorts this local market and adversely affects the other businesses in the area since they also…

unless those eateries are super-basic, it doesn't sound like this is competition for them. The canteens offer one meal of two items for a fixed price. Anyone with more means will surely choose a more varied menu and better service / ambiance, wouldn't they? (at least most of the time; I would totally go there for a lunch or quick breakfast from time to time.)

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#18

Post by rbanffy »

nocoder wrote: post #12

I have seen these in bangalore, in fact there is one very close to my office. One of the things that concerns me with such projects is that how they effect other eateries in the area. The one near my office that opened recently is on a street with about 5 other eateries. Having a eatery which is subsidized by government distorts this local market and adversely affects the other businesses in the area since they also…

To control the issuing of food vouchers would add overhead to the system and probably need to be means tested.

Re: India's Indira canteen: The best meal you can buy for 13 cents

#20

Post by ggg9990 »

jasdeepsingh wrote: post #11
bruceb wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are not that many Sikhs around. 22 million in a country of 1.2 billion. Most live in the north. You can't easily go get food from Sikhs.

You can’t easily go get food from Sikhs? As in what terms?

If you are in South India and are poor, how are you going to find a gurdwara? Might be quite far away and require bus fare that you don't have.
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