Ten budget canteens were inaugurated by the Vellore Corporation on Sunday evening.  Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurated the canteens through video conferencing.

Hundreds of party cadre and public gathered on the occassion. The canteens were opened at Gandhi Nagar in Katpadi, in Anna Salai, Arni Road in Virupatchipuram, Neduntheru in Kasba, Beedi Workers Quarters and near Vellore Collector’s Office in Sathuvachari, Bharathi Nagar in Tharapadavedu, Venkatapuram Road in Alamelumangapuram, near Corporation Schools in Bagayam and Kosapet.

Some centres were constructed exclusively for the canteen, while a few were opened in the existing buildings of  the Corporation. “The halls  were designed according to the layout specifications sent by the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply,” said Mayor P Karthiyayini.

As many as 120 women of ten self-help groups were employed at these canteens. Each centre would prepare 1,200 idlis, sambar rice and curd rice for 300 persons on a daily basis. Idlis would be available between 7 am and 10 am and will cost `1 per idli. Sambar rice and curd rice will be available between noon and 3 pm and wil cost `5 and `3, respectively.

Minister for Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, A Mohammedjan, Vellore MLA Dr V S Vijay and Collector P Sankar were present at the inauguration.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday inaugurated Amma unavagams in nine corporations across the State.

The Chief Minister had made an announcement in the Assembly on May 15, during the Budget Session, in this regard.

At a function held at the Secretariat at Fort St George on Sunday, Jayalalithaa inaugurated Amma unavagams in Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchy, Thirunelveli, Salem, Erode, Vellore, Tirupur and Thoothukudi. 

Each city  has received 10 Amma unavagams, totalling up to 90 of the centres.

Sources in the government have said that officials pulled all stops to handle the civil works and other logistical challenges to implement Chief Minister’s announcement in 15 days. Like the 200 Amma unavagams in Chennai, the 90 inaugurated on Sunday are being run by local urban self help groups.

These unavagams would follow a similar pattern as the ones in Chennai. They would serve idlies at `1 per piece between 7 am and 10 am, and sambar rice at `5 and curd rice at `3 between noon and 3 pm.

Jayalalithaa also inaugurated the expanded menu for the 200 Amma unavagams in Chennai. They will now serve pongal-sambar for `5 in the mornings and curry leaf rice/lemon rice for `5 for lunch. The only thing pending from Jayalalithaa’s announcement is the serving of two chapathis for `3 from September.

 The Amma unavagams are a part of the AIADMK government’s bid to provide subsidised food to take care of the calorific and nutritional needs of the working class. The tiffin centres have been fairly well received in Chennai.