J Jayalalithaa launches four more Amma canteens

CHENNAI: Expanding the successful 'Amma' canteen project, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today inaugurated the low-cost eateries at four state-run hospitals in the city.

She launched the canteen at the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Mother and Children by lighting a 'kuthuvilakku' (lamp) and also served food to some people there.

Jayalalithaa tasted the food items to ensure their quality and instructed the Women's Self-Help Group (SHG) involved in running the canteen to adhere to quality standards since the items would be consumed by patients and their relatives.

She also inaugurated such canteens, where food items are sold at prices ranging from Re 1 and Rs 5, at three other government hospitals, an official release said here.

'Amma Unavagam' ( Amma Canteen) is a low-cost eatery named after Jayalalithaa. She is addressed as 'Amma' (Mother) by her supporters.

The Amma Canteen concept involves selling food items such as sambar rice, curd rice, lemon rice, idly and chapatis at very low rates and is aimed at benefiting the working class population, including daily wage labourers.

Government representatives from Egypt, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan, among others, have visited the canteens with a view to exploring the possibility of implementing a similar scheme in their states.