Days after being sworn in as the ninth chief minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay on Monday ordered the revamp of Amma Canteens, which were launched during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime from 2011 to 2016.
During a high-level meeting with top officials in Chennai, the chief minister said the quality of the food that is provided at Amma Canteens must be improved. Furthermore, he directed officials to improve the infrastructure of the canteens across the state.
"The CM ordered improvement in amenities, infrastructure, procurement of more cooking utensils/equipment and thereby ensure quality and delicious food to the people," an official release stated.
The directions from the chief minister came after a feedback was received that the quality and taste of food available at Amma Canteens were not satisfactory.
Amma Canteens, which were launched in February 2013, were named after AIADMK patriarch and former Chief Minister J Jayalalalithaa, who was referred as 'Amma' by party workers and her supporters. Food is provided at extremely subsidised rates at the Amma Canteens.
As of now, there are around 383 Amma Canteens under the Greater Chennai Corporation and 237 under the supervision of other local bodies of Tamil Nadu.
Vijay takes cognisance of low-voltage complaints
In another development, the chief minister has also taken cognisance of low-voltage complaints across the state and directed officials of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDC) to resolve these issues. Additionally, he also directed officials to speed up infrastructure projects to deal with the rising electricity demand.
In his review meeting, Vijay also directed officials to prioritise identifying the root causes of day-to-day consumer grievances, including low-voltage issues, and implement remedial measures.
Meanwhile, the TNPDC officials gave Vijay a presentation on how they have met the state's peak power demand of 21,326 MW without interruptions. They also briefed him on the proactive stocking of essential electrical materials such as electric poles, power cables and distribution transformers in adequate quantities.
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