Amma Canteens – Anna Canteens: Stalin Is Not Jagan Reddy!

The Amma canteens (Amma Unavagam) have been very successful in providing subsidised food to the under-privileged in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Though introduced by former chief minister of Tamil Nadu late J. Jayalalithaa, M.K. Stalin, the new Chief Minister of the state, announced that the DMK government would retain the name of the canteens and allow Jayalalithaa’s photo too remain on the premises.

Further, Stalin also said that his government would provide three meals a day in the canteens in all places where lockdown was being implemented to check the spread of Covid-19. Food would be prepared all three times and given to the poor during the crisis as they are bereft of employment during the lockdown.

This announcement is in stark contrast to what the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has done to the Anna canteens set up in Andhra Pradesh by N. Chandrababu Naidu under the TDP rule.

Anna Canteens To Rajanna Canteens

Immediately after assuming power, Jagan renamed the canteens as Rajanna canteens but not even one meal had been served in those buildings since then. Anna canteens were launched in July, 2018, ahead of the Assembly elections the next year, when people gave the mandate to the YCP government.

Of late, there are allegations that cheap liquor is being sold in these canteens. Even after the declaration of lockdown, Jagan made no attempt to revive these canteens even when he knew that they can be of great help to the poor who had been struggling to make ends meet with no employment in the market, say the opposition leaders.

The opposition parties criticised Jagan for closing the canteens but there has been no initiative from the YCP government in this regard.

Political observers felt that Stalin’s announcement on Amma canteens only showed his maturity and genuine concern for the poor in Tamil Nadu while Jagan’s move smacked of vengeance against his bête noire Chandrababu Naidu.

Reverse tendering

Jagan is more interested in asserting and carving a niche for himself even when his acts proved detrimental to the interests of the state. He went ahead with the reverse tendering process of power projects despite being warned by the Centre that it would create a sense of insecure feeling among foreign investors. The YCP leaders claimed that reverse tendering proved to be of great help as it helped save a lot of money but there are allegations that the process only escalated the cost of the projects.

Similarly, he also continued painting government offices with his party colours knowing pretty well that such an act would be faulted by the courts and wasted a huge amount of money removing his party colours on the buildings, they pointed out.

However, Jagan could not revive the canteens even while he proclaims to be Robin Hood doing good to the poor through various welfare schemes, political analysts said.