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    Roadside eatery serves food at Re 1 to the poor

    V Venkatraman who runs the AMV Homely Mess in Erode, has been offering cheap meals to the underprivileged for almost a decade now

    Roadside eatery serves food at Re 1 to the poor
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    V Venkatraman providing Re 1 meal at his mess in Erode

    Chennai

    From the looks of it, AMV Homely Mess is like any other roadside budget eatery that dots every nook and corner of India’s cities and towns. However, what makes this humble establishment located near the Government Headquarters Hospital in Erode unique is its owner Venkatraman, who has been unfailingly providing food to the poor and needy, three times a day, just at the cost of one rupee.

    Venkatraman recalls an incident back in 2007. “An elderly woman came to my mess to buy idlis for her ailing husband who was admitted at the hospital. However, due to unavailability, I suggested that she buy three dosas for Rs 10, which she refused as it was beyond her budget. Even if she did buy them, she said she would have to share it equally with her husband and it would be inadequate for both of them as against buying idlis of which you could get six for the same price,” narrates Venkatraman, who then immediately gave her six dosas for the same price.

    The conversation stayed with him and got him thinking. “Days after that incident, I visited the GH and enquired about patients with the authorities there. I came to know that although the patients were provided with food by the hospital, their attendees, who were largely daily wagers, either stayed hungry or managed a tea or bread at noon and night, at the most,” explains Venkatraman. He realised that there were many other families like the old lady’s who were dependent on an amount as small as Rs 10 for three square meals a day. He knew he had to do something. He then decided to offer food at lower rates. 

    “We started out by distributing one-rupee tokens to 10 attendees every day. Over time, the number has gone up to 60 per day. In the morning, we give 15 tokens, for which three dosas and two idlis are given. In the afternoon, 30 attendees are given meals comprising five items including rice and sambhar, and at night 20 attendees are given dosa and chapati,” says Venkatraman, who also gives a 20 per cent discount to disabled customers. He is ably supported by his wife, who is a yoga teacher. 

    He also has a reason for pricing the food at one rupee. “I could even grant the food free of cost, but if I collect at least one rupee, the buyer will respect the food and not waste it. Also, the food is given in packets and no one is allowed to eat inside the mess. They are advised to take it to the hospital, where it can be shared with others,” elaborates Venkatraman. 

    Word about his endeavour has been spreading over the years and even those from the lower rung of the society sometimes donate Rs 5 or Rs 10. There are also donations from tourists. But, offering the one-rupee tokens for food that otherwise costs much more, particularly the noon meals that are fixed at Rs 50 for the general public, has resulted in their business incurring heavy losses. However, Venkatraman says, “With price rise, it has become a challenge to keep this going. Nevertheless, I cannot and do not want to stop what I have started. In fact, I want to provide food for over 100 people from next year.” 

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