Buoyed by success of ‘Amma Drinking Water’ and ‘Amma Unavagams,’ the government has come out with ‘Amma Salt,’ an affordably priced quality common salt made by the Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation (TNSC) for the benefit of the weaker sections. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will launch the scheme on Wednesday.
Sources in the TNSC told The Hindu that three varieties are up for open market sale under the ‘Amma Salt brand – Double Fortified Salt, Refined Free Flow Iodised Salt and Low Sodium Salt. While the double fortified variety is priced at Rs. 14 a kg, against the open market price of Rs. 21, the refined free flow variety costs Rs. 10, against the market price of Rs. 14 to Rs. 20. The Low Sodium Salt costs Rs. 21, against the private players’ price of Rs. 25.
The sources claim that the double fortified variety is not freely available in the open market in the South. While this salt helps those with anaemic and goitre disorders, the refined free flow salt helps those with hypothyroidism and the low sodium salt is a boon for those enduring blood pressure variations and cardiac conditions.
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All varieties would be marketed in powdered form in attractive packs under the aegis of the TNSC, which is, for the first time, vending through the open market. Already it is canalising salt sale through the Public Distribution System outlets.
The corporation would ship ‘Amma Salt’ from its manufacturing base at Valinokkam pans in Ramanathapuram district in the initial stage and later venture into large scale manufacturing based on the future demand.
In a radical idea tailored to meet the market demand for fair price salt, the corporation plans to appoint wholesale dealers in all districts.
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Official sources expressed the hope that the product would be a hit on the lines of the ‘Amma Drinking Water’ and Amma canteens.