DMK ministers to feed hungry for free through Amma canteens in Coimbatore district
Coimbatore: Amma canteens, a food outlet set up by former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J.Jayalalitha across state have been the source of food to many homeless and low paid workers. The canteens, however, was also told be the only stop for food during the lockdown due to COVID-19.
It is reported that many canteens in the state have provided free food to those who were in need during the lockdown and also have doubled its footfall.
As the state grapples and gasps to breathe during the second wave of coronavirus that shattered many planned events and caused unemployment besides causing lives of hundreds, many homeless and outsiders who stay outside from their home to work have also been left to survive without food. In order to bring that down and provide food for hungry, two DMK ministers have jointly organized free food for hungry in all the Amma canteen outlets in Coimbatore district.
The move comes in line with the world hunger day and is being organised by food and forest ministers A. Sakkarapani and K. Ramachandran.
In an order issued jointly by them, it said that as many as 15 Amma canteens in and around Coimbatore district will provide free food from today and that the expenses shall be met by DMK party. Ever since the state went for a lockdown, these canteens served people with Idlies, sambhar and curd rice for rupees 1,3 and 5. As many as 10,000 members visit these outlets each day, noted in the letter issued by two ministers.
However, to provide free food for hungry, it is told that DMK will spend at least 52.5 lakhs per month to provide free food in all these 15 outlets. Coimbatore alone has 12 Amma canteens while its neighbours Valparai, Pollachi and Mettupalayam has 3. Coimbatore Municipal Corporation will receive the expenditure from DMK to monitor the activities and ensure people be given free foods through Amma canteens during lockdown. However, it is unclear that the scheme shall be extended across the state.
It is to be noted that it was DMK and M.K. Stalin, the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu that opposed the previous government led by Edappadi K Palaniswamy over adopting Amma canteens in district wise by few ministers to provide free food. Earlier during the regime of ADMK, few ministers adopted Amma canteens in their limits to provide free foods during lockdown. However, M.K. Stalin opposed their move and asked them to extend scheme across the state saying it would amount to misuse of the outlets which have been set up using tax payers money.