'Loss-hit Amma Canteens feed 85 percent of poor in city'

Of the total of 5.38 lakh customers (respondents) covered during the survey, around eight per cent of the customers were students and seven per cent were elderly people.

“During the survey, several customers requested the civic body to provide chutney for idlis and pickle for a variety rice items. They also asked us to include new items in the menu,” a Chennai Corporation official said.

It is also transpired that 24 per cent of the Amma Canteen customers are construction workers, who are entitled to free food at the canteens by a government order. The labour department is paying the bills for the construction workers.

Apart from eight per cent of the students and seven per cent of elderly people, seven per cent of the beneficiaries are unemployed. Four per cent of beneficiariesconstitute ragpickers.

The civic body had conducted the survey in as many as 407 Amma Canteens in the city to identify the nature of its customers and collect their feedback to revive the canteens that make a huge loss every year.

According to the official, the civic body is spending around Rs 140 crore per year to run the Amma Canteens, but only manages to earn Rs 30 crore in return thus accruing a loss of Rs 110 crore every year.

Interestingly, around 26 per cent of the beneficiaries are not the residents of Chennai and they are staying in the city temporarily due to several reasons.

Meanwhile, the civic body had constituted a committee to study the performances of all the Amma Canteens and proposed measures to be taken to balance the expenditure and revenue. The proposal has been sent for the government’s approval.

Civic body’s major proposal for reviving the Amma Canteens are to create a trust to run the Amma canteens or to attract funds under corporation social responsibility from corporate firms or to allow individuals to adopt canteens or to set up an integrated kitchen to supply food to the canteens.