Mismanagement of Amma canteens: Public accounts committee pulls up Corpn

CHENNAI: Pointing out several queries raised in CAG reports over the last few years regarding the mismanagement of Amma Canteens, Public Accounts Committee of the state Assembly has directed the Greater Chennai Corporation to submit a report pertaining the operation of the canteens within a month.

Committee chairman K Selvaperunthagai and MLAs, held a meeting with the civic body and Metro Water officials on Wednesday to review several projects being implemented in the city. During the meeting, the committee reviewed several CAG queries regarding Amma Canteens like procurement of chapati making machines, procurement of rice and others food items as well as rationale of establishing the canteens at certain places.

A source, who was inside the closed-door meeting, said that the committee asked the officials the reason for procuring rice and others at market rates instead of buying at subsidised rate from civil supplies department. They also pointed a CAG query that found fault in opening the canteens without conducting survey on potential beneficiaries. "Selvaperunthagai has asked Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi to submit a report on Amma Canteen to the committee within a month, " the source added.

It may be noted that more than 400 Amma Canteens in the city are making a huge loss every year and a proposed special purpose vehicle to run the canteens is yet to be launched.

Apart from the Amma Canteens, the committee has find fault in the implementation of storm water drain projects and pulled up the civic body engineers for waterlogging despite constructing drains at several crores by availing loans. The committee also instructed the civic body to take action against encroachments of public space.

"They also asked the civic body to replace a weigh bridge near Perungudi dump yard as children are taking 3km detour to reach schools due to the weigh bridge. In total, 71 queries of CAG were reviewed at the meeting, " the source added.

Earlier, the committee inspected the bio-mining process, which is ongoing in Perungudi dumping yard.