Women attached to a Self-Help Group cooked food on a trial basis at two centres identified for ‘Amma Unavagam’, on Thursday.

As
many as 120 women belonging to 10 self-help groups would be involved at
the 10 low budget canteens across the city. Mayor P Karthiyayini said
the women had prior experience in running canteens and hotels on a small
scale. They were taken to ‘Amma Unavagam’ canteens in Chennai and given
training on how to behave with customers and serve the public.

The
women were also trained in cooking in large quantities in Vellore last
week, she said and added that the government had already specified the
quantity of ingredients that needed to be used for preparing food for
300 to 500 persons.

On Thursday, officials attached to the
Corporation visited the two canteens at Neduntheru in Kasba and Gandhi
Nagar in Katpadi, where sambar and curd rice were cooked. The cost
estimation for preparing food by 10 canteens for a year was arrived at
Rs 2.70 crore and the revenue was estimated at  Rs 1.31 crore. The
deficit amount of Rs 1.39 crore would be met from the General Fund of
the Vellore Corporation. A resolution in this connection was passed at
the Corporation council meeting held on Thursday. Vessels for the
canteens were also purchased at a cost of Rs 14.40 lakh. Karthiyayini
said the dates for the inauguration of the canteens would be announced
soon.