GURUGRAM: Laxmi Devi, a labourer who lives in Surat Nagar, Gurgaon, travelled all the way to Bhimnagar on Saturday morning to try out the much-talked-about subsidised government canteen for workers.Having to pay Rs 10 only for a meal of dal, rice, sabzi and chapatti, she didn’t have much to complain about. But, she had to pay Rs 20 as tempo fare to get to Bhimnagar and it would take same amount to go back. Putting the travel and meal fare together, she can get a better meal in her hometown.“This area does not have a high population of workers when compared to our area as well as Laxman Vihar where labourers live in thousands. Had the canteen been somewhere in vicinity of these two places, this service would have been much more beneficial,” said Devi.On Saturday, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated four subsidised canteens at Gurgaon (Bhimnagar), Faridabad, Hisar and Yamunanagar for workers under Antodaya scheme through video-conferencing. Similar canteen is to be set up in Gurgaon near Bhuteshwar Mandir.The canteen meal, which costs Rs 10, has a calorie count of 1,150 and consists of dal, rice, raita, chapatti and sabzi. The workers, who ate the food, said the quality of food at such a low price was better than expected. But, the location is worrying them.Labour union members said, they suggested to labour department officials that the canteen should be opened in labour bastis, labour chowks or areas with high labour population, so that it served its actual purpose.There are also concerns over timings of the service as most workers leave for work in morning and would not be able to reach Bhimnagar canteen to have lunch in the afternoon.

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