Amma Canteens come to people’s rescue during COVID-19 lockdown

Amma Canteens, the heavily subsidised food scheme that served as an inspiration to several such initiatives across India, is now saving thousands of homeless and underprivileged from going to bed hungry in times of COVID-19 lockdown.

While most restaurants have downed their shutters, it is these low-cost canteens that sell idlis at Re 1 each that are welcoming people three times a day. And the government has not just asked people in-charge of canteens to increase the quantity of food prepared, but also refrain from collecting money from those who can’t afford given the extraordinary situation.

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Most of the 700-odd canteens that operate across the state have witnessed increased footfall since March 25, the day India began its 21-day lockout to prevent further outspread of COVID-19. On normal days, the canteen sells idlis are at Re 1 each, curd rice at Rs 3 and sambar rice at Rs 5 and two chappatis with dhal for Rs 3.

The Amma Canteens are touted as the biggest welfare programme launched by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa in 2013.

61-year-old Arumugam, who walked three kms to reach an Amma Canteen in Tiruttani 80 kms from here, said he would have gone to bed with an empty stomach if the outlet hadn’t functioned during the lockdown.

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“This canteen is our saviour. While the whole town is closed, we don’t have any cheaper option for food than Amma Canteens. I don’t mind walking every day to get some quality food at least once or twice a day,” the daily wage labourer said.

Across the state, the canteens have been equipped to handle the extra rush anticipated during the 21-day lockdown period. One of the handlers at the Amma Canteen in Tiruttani told DH that the number of people visiting the outlet has increased since March 25, the first day of the lockdown.

“There is no rush as such in the canteen here. But the number is considerably high because of the quality and the price. We have increased the quantity of the food and the response has been good so far,” he said.

Chennai Corporation’s Health Officer told DH that the canteens have witnessed a 30 to 40 per cent increase in footfall in the past few days. “We have sent these canteens additional rations anticipating rush. Also, we have given them standing instructions to prepare additional rice for dinner in case chapati gets over. The idea is to ensure no one goes to bed hungry,” Dr M Jagadeesan, Chennai City Health Officer, told DH.

J Jayaranjan, economist and former researcher at Institute for Development Alternatives (IDA), said people flocking to Amma Canteens in times of distress is a classic example that it is the governments and such initiatives that would help the people and not corporates or the market.

“Markets have closed but the canteen is opened. Such initiatives emerge as saviours of the people. And today it has been proved again with Amma Canteens alone functioning and other restaurants closing their doors. The basic agenda of a government is to feed its citizens and this scheme helps in doing that,” he told DH.