The Hindu 03.06.2013
Budget canteens opened
At 10 places each in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa inaugurated budget
canteens at 10 places under the Corporation limits for the benefit of
the poor through video conferencing here on Sunday.
As
the canteens selling tiffin and variety rice at heavily subsidised
price received wild reception in Chennai, Ms. Jayalalithaa announced
that the budget canteens would be established in all Corporations.
In
a simple function organised in the canteen established on the
Melapalayam Zone Office, Minister for Tourism P. Senthurpandian
inaugurated the sale of variety rice. While one idli costs Re 1 at this
canteen, customers can have sambar rice for Rs. 5 while curd rice costs
Rs. 3. All food stuffs including sweet pongal that was served to mark
the inauguration of the canteen were served free of cost on Sunday.
“The
personnel involved in preparing and selling the food stuffs have been
told in clear terms that any compromise on quality would be viewed very
seriously. Moreover, our officials would be monitoring the quality of
food stuff everyday and file a daily report in this connection to their
superiors,” said Mayor Vijila Sathyananth.
Though the
budget canteen was formally inaugurated only at 3.30 p.m., a decent
crowd was waiting patiently to enjoy the food stuff. “It tastes really
good,” said S. Mohideen Basha of Melapalayam while enjoying the sambar
rice.
The budget canteens have been established at
Vaiyapuri Nagar (ward 40), Quaid-E-Millet Corporation Hospital premises,
Pettai (ward 47), Thatchanallur Old Panchayat Office (ward 3),
Thatchanallur Unit Office 9 (ward 54), near Ganesapuram School (ward 6),
Manakaavalanpillai Hospital premises (ward 13), Thimmarajapuram Unit
Office (ward 12), Ambedkar Nagar (ward 15), Melapalayam Zonal Office
premises (ward 32) and Opposite Melapalayam Government Hospital (ward
31).
Collector C. Samayamoorthy, Tirunelveli MLA
Nainar Nagentran, Sankarankovil MLA S. Muthuselvi, Deputy Mayor P.
Ganesan alias Jeganathan, senior Corporation officials and elected
public representatives participated.
Tuticorin
Budget
canteens were also inaugurated at 10 places under Tuticorin Corporation
limits by Ms. Jayalalithaa through video conferencing. Labour Minister
S.T. Chellapandian formally opened it at a community hall-cum-canteen on
Santhana Mariamman Kovil Street near Cruzpuram in the presence of
Collector Ashish Kumar.
The canteens would be open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., every day, sources said.
The
canteens were opened at M. Saveriyarpuram, Rajaji Park, State Bank
Colony (near park), VVD water tank, Chathiram street, Lourdhammalpuram
main road (near St. Mary’s Colony), George road, Threspuram fish market
area, Tuticorin new bus stand area and Santhana Mariamman Kovil Street.
Twelve
persons representing women self-help groups had been deputed in each of
the canteens. Mayor L. Sasikala Pushpa, Deputy Mayor P. Xavier,
Corporation Commissioner S. Madhumathi, Executive Engineer S.A.
Rajagopalan, Junior Engineer Saravanan and others attended.
