It was in the year 2013 Amma unavagams or canteens were first founded with its headquarters in Chennai. These Amma canteens were introduced by former chief minister of TN J. Jayalalitha is known. This food subsidised programme run by the government has been doing superbly and is providing high quality vegetarian foods for many.
It is now said that these Amma canteens serve as many as 3.5 lakh poor people day in and day out and has helped in the overall cost of living of Chennai.
As many as 407 Amma Canteens are making their presence felt in GCC or Greater Chennai Corporation. This GCC is said to be operating largest food chains in the world now with so many Amma canteens.
According to a regular customer named Murugan, Rs 30 per day is sufficient to have stomach full food in these Amma Canteens. The variety rice costs just Rs 5 and plate of idly costs Rs one in these Amma canteens.
Murugan further spoke about how these Amma Canteens are playing huge role in keeping the rates of food items in other hotels in check. He threw light on how the cost of idlis at small hotels remained as Rs 6 and cost of chappathis is Rs 10 in the five years because of presence of Amma canteens.
The amazing piece of information that has come out now is in the last 5 years these Amma Canteens have sold more than 49 crore idlis plus 21 crores of chappathis and 17.5 crores plates of variety rice.