CHENNAI: The simple yet nutritious idli is the fastest selling item on the menu at the Amma canteens. Since February, 4.6 crore idlis have been sold here. But the taste of success might just be embittered by financial burden on the corporation.
Sources said the civic body loses 86 paise per idli, which is sold for 1 in the canteens. So, if the civic body sold 4.6 crore idlis, the production loss is 39 lakh.
After idlis, the most popular dish is sambar rice, selling 85 lakh plates, curd rice (50 lakh), curry leaf rice (12 lakh), lemon rice (14 lakh) and pongal (2.9 lakh).
Corporation officials said they were keeping tabs on the amount of food being sold in each of the 200 wards. Every day, three lakh idlis, 60,000 plates of sambar rice, and 30,000 plates of pongal, lemon rice, curry leaves rice and curd rice are being sold at each canteen.
Officials said they planned to introduce rotis and dal at night from the end of this month. "We have ordered roti-making machines for each canteen. Once it is introduced, all the canteens will function from 6pm to 9pm," the official adds.
The canteens are a hit with residents but the corporation is finding it hard to manage all 200. Sources said that anti-mosquito fogging operations have slowed down because of the extra work officers have to put into the canteens.
"The shortage of health staff is a concern in some parts of the city. Health officials have to concentrate on the functioning of these canteens to prevent any complaints," an official said.
The civic body recently decided to introduce bio-methanation plants and solar panels to reduce consumption of electricity and cooking gas in the canteens. The corporation also plans to replace the token system with a computerised billing one.
The canteens are run by more than 2,400 women members of self-help groups. They cook, serve and manage the canteens that were set up to provide healthy food at affordable prices. Hundreds of people, including daily labourers, drivers, migrant workers and office-goers, have become regular customers.