Amma Canteen (File Photo) 
Tamil Nadu

DMK trying to rob concept of Amma Unavagam: OPS

Former chief minister and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Friday condemned the state for taking steps to diminish the legacy of the Amma Canteens that has been feeding the poor since 2013.

migrator

Chennai

During a consultative meeting on community kitchen in Delhi, state Food Minister R Sakkarapani had stated that the government had proposed to open 500 Kalaignar canteens in the state.

“This is a planned strategy to rob the legacy of Amma Canteens. How can there be two names for one scheme? The concept of feeding the poor through canteens is a brainchild of Amma (former CM J Jayalalithaa), but the DMK government is planning to rob the brain-child of AIADMK. We don’t have any objections to the DMK naming a new scheme under the name of Kalaignar, but planning to implement an existing scheme with a new name is a political ploy by the DMK,” the former chief minister said.

The DMK is in power and can bring in new schemes and policies, but robbing the schemes of the AIADMK will be an act of political vendetta, OPS said seeking the intervention of Chief Minister MK Stalin in the issue. He also said there are about 700 Amma canteens in the state and the state should ensure better maintenance and operations of the canteens.

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