What this scheme offers
Atal Canteens serve a cooked meal — typically dal, rice, vegetables, roti and pickle — for ₹5 a plate, against a cost to the government of roughly ₹30. They are run by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and were launched on 25 December 2025, the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with 45 outlets; the network reached 71 by February 2026 and 100 by August 2026. They replaced the earlier Jan Aahar scheme. Unlike most welfare schemes there is nothing to apply for: anyone can walk in, meals are first-come, first-served, and digital tokens have replaced paper coupons. Outlets are concentrated in JJ clusters, resettlement colonies and industrial areas where daily-wage workers live and work.
Who is eligible
- Open to everyone — there is no income test, residence proof or registration.
- Meals are served first-come, first-served while stock lasts.
- Aimed mainly at daily-wage workers, labourers and families in JJ clusters, but anyone living or working in Delhi can eat.
Documents required
- No identity document or registration is needed to eat at an Atal Canteen.
- ₹5 per meal, paid at the counter in exchange for a digital token.
- For operators only: the documents listed in the Urban Development Department's tender notice.
How to apply
- Find your nearest Atal Canteen — the network now has 100 locations, listed in Delhi government and DUSIB announcements.
- Go during meal hours: lunch is roughly 11:30 am to 2 pm and dinner 6:30 to 9 pm; check the timing at your outlet.
- Pay ₹5 at the counter and collect your digital token.
- Show the token at the serving counter and collect your meal plate.
- To raise a complaint about quality or overcharging, contact DUSIB or the Delhi government helpline.