Amma canteens maintenance budget doubled to Rs 14.6 crore

The civic body currently runs 407 Amma canteens in the city. In the budget estimate for 2018-19, the allocation has been doubled – from Rs 7.1 crore to Rs 14.6 crore. 

According to official records, the maintenance costs overshot the estimates, with the civic body earmarking Rs 9.8 crore as revised estimate for 2017-18. Payments to casual staff have been estimated at Rs 71.75 crore for coming fiscal year, which has been increased from last year’s revised estimate of Rs 64.8 crore. 

The income from Amma Unavagam, which is patronised by the people for offering food at an extremely low price, stood at Rs 34.5 crore last year. The realised income fell short as last year’s budget estimate predicted an income generation to the tune of Rs 37 crore. However, the Corporation expects the canteen to break-even this year. 

The Amma Unavagam, a brainchild of J Jayalalithaa, has been lauded nationally for the social welfare model. However, its operation has put a financial strain on the civic body, as stated in report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on local bodies for 2014-2015. The report mentioned that the expenditure crossed Rs 100 crore in Chennai alone for that year.