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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

#51

Post by laythea »

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…

I agree, but they may not have that luxury. If they offered food vouchers I am not sure they could achieve the economies of scale that seem to facilitate these types of things. Ie. 13 cents would not buy the same amount of food at a regular shop than a 13 cent food voucher to be used at a mass canteen.

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

#54

Post by codezero »

snambi wrote: post #52

India has 1000s of temples who serve food for free to anyone without asking questions. Why only talk about a govt project clearly aimed at getting votes of poor?

Since I don't know the area – can you think of a reason this type of canteen is so popular if there's widely available, similar alternative? Sounds like there's something more to this – are the canteens simply cheaper because of subsidy? More efficient so less time waiting? Better location for the working population?

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

#55

Post by blocked_again »

snambi wrote: post #52

India has 1000s of temples who serve food for free to anyone without asking questions. Why only talk about a govt project clearly aimed at getting votes of poor?

I don't see anything wrong with this. All most everything done by governments are aimed at getting votes. Humans primarily operate by keeping it's self interest in mind. Giving food to poor at a reduced rate is definitely better than not giving food to poor. If this article inspires other governments to do similar things even if the primary motive is getting more votes I don't mind. I don't see why you are so pissed off about this.

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

#56

Post by 1024core »

rohit2412 wrote: post #42
geodel wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 resta…

Monthly salary of a driver is atleast 10k INR ~ 154$, Your friends are eating at a place that costs 2500 INR per head? That's not a decent restaurant meal, that's a lavish restaurant. I would say 200 INR gets you a decent restaurant meal.

I'll counter your anecdata with mine.

I usually take Uber in India, and often ask the driver about his work, how much he makes, etc. This is for a North-Indian Tier-2 city.

The answer usually is that he makes INR 6000/month.

Now, I have eaten in middling restaurants where a meal for 2 came to INR 2500. In fact, I've been to cafes where a "meal" of tea, snacks, etc. alone came to over INR 700/pp. You would be hard pressed to get a decent meal in a clean, hygenic and modern restaurant for INR 200 anywhere in North India.

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

#57

Post by koenigdavidmj »

svat wrote: post #40
sk0g wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

England uses Pounds, Shillings and Pence.

Not since 1971. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Day

You are of course correct, but the currency that is 1/100 of a pound is still the penny, plural "pence". In this case, 5 cents still doesn't work.

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

#59

Post by rootedbox »

snambi wrote: post #52

India has 1000s of temples who serve food for free to anyone without asking questions. Why only talk about a govt project clearly aimed at getting votes of poor?

If a democracy is working then government projects should be clearly aimed and guided by those voting.

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

#60

Post by jabretti »

bllguo wrote: post #58

People snidely - and probably correctly - point out this is done for votes. That just seems overly cynical. Incentive alignment is a good thing - it's the whole basis of capitalism. I don't get why people feel the need to point it out in this manner.

>Incentive alignment is a good thing - it's the whole basis of capitalism.

The government taking your money and giving it to other people for votes isn't capitalism, it's corruption.

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