For Prelims: Subsidised Food Schemes, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, Scheme Name, Meal Price, State Subsidy Per Plate, First Phase Districts, Daily Capacity Per Canteen
For Mains: Food security, urban poverty, state welfare scheme, subsidised meals, migrant labour welfare
Source:
Hindustan
5 facts for one-day exams
SSC, railway, police and teaching exams ask direct questions like these.
- The Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana provides meals at ₹5 per plate in Uttar Pradesh.
- The scheme was announced by UP Food and Logistics Minister Manoj Pandey on November 5, 2026.
- 18 districts will get canteens in the first phase, including Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi.
- The state government subsidises each plate by ₹25.
- Each canteen will serve 500 lunch and 500 dinner plates daily.
Why in the news?
The Uttar Pradesh government will launch 'Maa Annapurna Rasoi' canteens in 18 districts, providing subsidised meals at just ₹5 per plate for urban poor, labourers and the needy. The state will subsidise each plate by ₹25. The scheme also includes measures for paddy procurement and free ration grievance redressal.
Summary
- Each canteen will serve 500 lunch and 500 dinner plates daily at ₹5 per plate to urban poor, labourers and the needy.
- The state government will provide a subsidy of ₹25 per plate to the operating agency; CSR funds and NGOs will help expand the scheme.
Highlights
Subsidised Meal Scheme
Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana provides a full meal at ₹5 per plate to the urban poor and labourers in 18 selected districts of Uttar Pradesh.
State Subsidy Model
The state government subsidises each plate by ₹25 to the operating agency, with plans to expand via CSR funds and NGOs.
Paddy Procurement Relief
Farmers facing online registration issues can sell paddy under the old offline system, easing procurement difficulties.
Way Forward
The scheme's success depends on timely subsidy disbursement, quality control and selection of operating agencies. Expansion to more districts is planned. The paddy procurement flexibility is a temporary measure; a permanent digital solution would be ideal. The free ration grievance redressal via toll-free number strengthens transparency.
Uttar Pradesh connection
Matters for these Uttar Pradesh exams:UPPSC 8/10UPPSC RO/ARO 7/10UPSSSC PET 7/10
Background GK
Textbook concepts you need to understand this news
- Subsidised Food Schemes
- Government programmes that provide food at below-market prices to vulnerable groups, often through public distribution systems or community kitchens.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- A company's voluntary or mandated contribution to social and environmental causes, often used to fund government schemes.
- National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
- A central law that entitles up to 75% of rural and 50% of urban population to subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
Facts to remember
Tap a card to see the answer. Try to recall it first.
How exams will ask this
- Data: 18 districts, ₹5 per plate, ₹25 subsidy per plate, 500 lunch + 500 dinner daily
- Nodal Body: Food and Logistics Department, Uttar Pradesh
- Legal Point: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Don't make this mistake!
Examiners may confuse Annapurna Rasoi Yojana with the Centre's PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (free ration) or with Madhya Pradesh's 'Deendayal Rasoi Yojana'. Remember: this is a state-level UP scheme for cooked meals at ₹5, not a central free grain scheme.
Write these in mains answers
- Food security, urban poverty, state welfare scheme, subsidised meals, migrant labour welfare
Stuck? Get it in one tap
The Uttar Pradesh government is starting canteens in 18 cities where poor people can get a full meal for just ₹5. The government pays the canteen operator ₹25 extra for each plate so they can afford to sell it cheaply. This helps daily-wage workers and migrant labourers who cannot afford regular restaurant prices. The scheme is called Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana.
- The Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana provides meals at ₹5 per plate in Uttar Pradesh.
- The scheme was announced by UP Food and Logistics Minister Manoj Pandey on November 5, 2026.
- 18 districts will get canteens in the first phase, including Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi.
- The state government subsidises each plate by ₹25.
- Each canteen will serve 500 lunch and 500 dinner plates daily.
- Governance: State welfare schemes and food security
- Economy: Subsidies and public distribution system
Related concepts: Subsidised Food Schemes, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
Which department of the Uttar Pradesh government is responsible for implementing the Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana?
Explanation: The scheme was announced by the Food and Logistics Minister of Uttar Pradesh. The Department of Rural Development handles MGNREGA and other rural schemes, not this urban food scheme. The Department of Social Welfare handles pensions and scholarships, not food. The Department of Urban Development deals with infrastructure, not food distribution.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements regarding the Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana announced in Uttar Pradesh:
- 1.The scheme provides meals at ₹5 per plate to urban poor and labourers in 18 districts.
- 2.The state government will provide a subsidy of ₹50 per plate to the operating agency.
- 3.Each canteen will serve 500 lunch and 500 dinner plates daily.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: the scheme offers meals at ₹5 per plate in 18 districts. Statement 2 is incorrect: the subsidy is ₹25 per plate, not ₹50. Statement 3 is correct: each canteen will serve 500 lunch and 500 dinner plates daily. Hence option C is correct.
- Q3Medium
What is the state subsidy per plate provided by the Uttar Pradesh government under the Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana?
Explanation: The state government will provide ₹25 per plate to the operating agency as a subsidy. ₹5 is the price paid by the beneficiary.
- Q4Medium
What is the primary objective of the Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana?
Explanation: The scheme targets urban poor, labourers and the needy by providing cooked meals at a nominal ₹5 per plate. Free food grains are already covered under the NFSA and PMGKAY, not this scheme. It does not replace the PDS. While employment generation is a possible side effect, it is not the primary objective stated.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the Maa Annapurna Rasoi Yojana?
It is a scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government to provide subsidised cooked meals at ₹5 per plate to urban poor and labourers in 18 districts.
2. How much subsidy does the UP government provide per plate under this scheme?
The state government provides a subsidy of ₹25 per plate to the operating agency.
3. Which 18 districts will get the Annapurna Rasoi canteens in the first phase?
The 18 districts are Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Aligarh, Prayagraj, Jhansi, Bareilly, Mathura, Saharanpur, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Shahjahanpur, Firozabad and Raebareli.
4. What is the daily meal capacity of each Annapurna Rasoi canteen?
Each canteen will serve 500 lunch plates and 500 dinner plates daily.
All sources
- Original5 November 2026 · Read story
