Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will inaugurate budget restaurants of the Chennai Corporation on Tuesday.
One of the restaurants will be inaugurated at Santhome by the Chief Minister. Women belonging to self-help groups have been given the responsibility of managing them.
Training for women has been completed and the trial run was carried out on Monday. Councillors of some of the localities had a taste of the food. Each of the 15 zones of the Corporation will have one budget restaurant in the first phase.
The 15 restaurants to be inaugurated on Tuesday are at 185, Thiruvottiyur High Road, Thiruvottiyur; 29 Street, Mathur, Manali; Mattur Link Road, Surapet, Madhavaram; Bommi Sivaramulu Street, Old Washermenpet; 37, Nattu Pillaiyar Koil Street, in ward 55 of Royapuram Zone; Dr.Ambedkar College Road, Pulianthope; Kattabomman Street, Oragadam, Ambattur; Taylors Road, Kilpauk; near IG Registration Office, Santhome High Road; Sivagnanam Salai, T.Nagar; Poonamallee High Road, near North Mada Street, Maduravoyal; Nehru High Road, Nanganallur; Kuppam Kadarkarai Salai, Thiruvanmiyur; Anna Nedunchalai, Perungudi; and Kannagi Nagar Second Main Road, Thoraipakkam.
Women belonging to self-help groups have been selected from all the 15 zones through the Corporation for Development of Women. The women, most of them illiterate, have been trained to manage, cook and clean the canteens. In 200 canteens to be opened by March 31, over 2,400 women from various parts of the city are expected to find work.
The government decision is expected to ensure healthy food to those living in slums, daily labourers, drivers, load-men and migrant workers. But the outlets will not supply packed food.
The restaurants will offer idli (100 gram) for a rupee, sambar rice (350 gram) at Rs. 5 and curd rice (350 gram) at Rs. 3.
Keywords: Budget restaurants, Chennai corporation, Santhome, self-help groups
At last there is a government that knows what its priorities are. I am glad of this initialitve and getting it in action, so quickly and professionally. But, as we all know, proof of the pudding!
Not at all clear as to how corporation will sell at this price and who will bear the differencial cost as subsidy --- government or corporation?
I endorse the comments expressed by Mr.VS Jayaraman. In the past, it is
our experience, that such well intentioned initiatives soon peter out
and even the outfits fade away and the employees of such outfits start
clamouring for govt. employee status and fixed salaries and benefits
etc. I wonder what mechanism is put in place to ensure that such fate
does not befall this move. Perhaps giving the same incentive as done for
Tasmac will ensure their endurance.
By setting up budget restaurants owned and operated by the Chennai Corporation, and, providing food at low cost, the novel initiative of the TN Government will definitely eliminate starvation among the poor and the downtrodden. While the initiative will be an instant hit, considering the civic body’s credentials of hygiene and sanitation, one cannot but hazard a guess. Corporation must take effective steps to ensure that the place where the food is prepared and served is hygienic and clean. The officials, masquerading themselves as the customers must regularly monitor the outlets so as to send a bold message to the public that the Chennai Corporation is really serious about this. The civic body must now take a bold decision to remove tens of thousands of mobile eateries which not only sell stale/unhygienic food but encroach the public place.
A fantastic idea. If governement micro manages these ventures for the
first few years, this will become a super hit idea.
Kudos to the Govt. and persons behind this initiative. At a time when
mid-size hotels have vanished from city limits this caters to one and
all. Just one fear of sustaining the quality (1 rupee rice, soluble
sidedish etc.) given the low cost.
Last but not least KINDLY PLACE A TRASH BIN AND STRICTLY INSTRUCT EVERY
PERSON (WHETHER DRUNK OR SOBER) TO TRASH THE LEFTOVER AND NOT LITTER !
That's an innovative move by the Government of Tamil Nadu. Taking this into notice the Government can also step into the food industry and give a price cap for all the food products sold in the restaurants and hotels. This is mainly to bring to the notice that the food prices have gone up by more than 30-40% in the last 2-3 years.
The Hindu can work on this and bring the pricing to a moderate level.
Good idea! I only hope enough attention is paid to hygiene & cleanliness
all the time and NOT just on the day of inauguration.
Also, it will be nice if there is a report on the Herbal Canteen that
was opened at the Ripon Building a few months back.
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