CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will discontinue the existing system of providing meals to cleanliness workers and instead pay them a daily food allowance of Rs 50, covering 24,264 workers engaged through private agencies, according to a Government Order issued on September 21.

The Municipal Administration and Water Supply department issued the GO after the GCC received complaints regarding the food supplied to cleanliness workers under the existing arrangement.

The GCC entered into a three-year arrangement to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to cleanliness workers. The system came into effect on November 15, 2025.

The GO noted that complaints about the food quality, timely distribution and hygiene deficiencies in the kitchens were received. Concerns were also raised over the quality of raw materials and utensils used for preparing and serving the food, as well as their maintenance.

Following this, the GCC sought the cleanliness workers' views on continuing the existing system. According to the GO, about 92 per cent of the workers expressed their preference for receiving a food allowance instead of meals.

Based on the feedback, the government has approved the discontinuation of the existing food-supply arrangement and authorised the GCC to provide a food allowance of Rs 50 per day to 24,264 cleanliness workers employed through private agencies, including Urbaser Sumeet and Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited.

The allowance will be calculated based on the number of days a worker attends duty and paid along with the monthly salary.

The annual expenditure towards the allowance is estimated at Rs 44.28 crore. The GCC will meet the expenditure from its own funds, the GO said.

The government has directed the GCC to implement the new arrangement after discontinuing the existing system of supplying meals to cleanliness workers.