In 2026, the Chandrababu government has decided to expand anna canteens to rural areas. As part of this plan, 70 anna canteens will be set up in villages across constituencies and district headquarters.
The canteens are currently at different stages of construction. The target is to complete all works by January 10, 2026. The government plans to inaugurate them between January 13 and 15 as a Sankranthi gift.
Earlier, the government had already opened 205 anna canteens in urban areas. These canteens have been catering to a large number of people on a daily basis.
Around 2 lakh people consume three meals a day at anna canteens. Tiffins are served during morning and night hours, while full meals are provided during lunch time. Each meal is priced at Rs 5.
Following repeated requests from MLAs, the government decided to extend the anna canteen network to rural regions. This move aims to support poor and needy families in villages.
So far, about 7.20 crore poor people have been served at 205 anna canteens in urban areas. Of them, around 3.16 crore consumed lunch, 2.62 crore had breakfast, and 1.42 people had night tiffins.
The highest number of beneficiaries were recorded in Visakhapatnam, Guntur and NTR districts. Officials believe the rural expansion will further increase the reach of the scheme.
