The Delhi government has introduced a major change in how subsidised meals are accessed at its popular Atal Canteens — instead of Aadhaar authentication, citizens must now undergo retina scanning to get subsidised food coupons. The move is aimed at curbing misuse of the system and ensuring that the benefits of low-cost, nutritious meals reach truly needy residents of the capital.
Under the new arrangement, installed across all 86 Atal Canteens in the city, retina scanning cameras will verify a person’s identity before issuing a meal coupon. The data is stored in a central digital system that links all canteens so that the same person cannot obtain multiple subsidised lunches in a day from different locations.
How the New Retina Verification Works
When a person arrives to buy a lunch coupon, their retina scan is conducted on the spot and recorded in a centralised digital database shared by all Atal Canteens. Once verified, the individual is issued a coupon for that day. The system is designed to ensure that:
A person can receive only one lunch per day using the scan.
If someone has already taken lunch at one canteen, they cannot buy another lunch coupon from any other Atal Canteen on the same day.
However, they can still obtain dinner in the evening and are eligible again for lunch the next day.
Officials say the technology-based solution is far more secure and harder to manipulate than the earlier Aadhaar/QR token system, which had occasional cases of duplicate or fraudulent use.
Expansion Plans to Cover More Needy Areas
The government is also working on expanding the Atal Canteen network. This year, 16 new canteens are expected to be opened, bringing the total to 100 outlets across the city. While earlier locations were focused near slum clusters and low-income neighbourhoods, the new units will also serve areas near hospitals and universities, catering to patients, their families, and students — groups that often struggle with high food costs.
To support the rollout and daily operations, the Delhi government has earmarked a Rs 100 crore budget. Locations are being selected based on availability of public land and footfall patterns, with a priority on places that see large crowds regularly.
Background: Affordable Meals for All
The Atal Canteen initiative was launched on 25 December, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The flagship programme offers nutritious meals at just Rs 5 per plate, including staple items like roti, rice, vegetables and pickle. Canteens operate from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm for lunch and 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm for dinner, with daily limits of 500 plates each for lunch and dinner to ensure supply and distribution fairness.
With the retina-based verification system now in place, the government hopes to make the programme even more effective, transparent and impactful for Delhi’s economically vulnerable sections.
