Cd's,
As you know, I am a great probagator of food banks. I sincerely belive that if any CD's are suffering due to lack of job or on EI, they should use the food banks, irrespective of if they were Engineers or Doctors in the Gulf or in India. Anyways, the food banks try to dispose of any perishables on friday evening and it is better in the mouth of a human rather than in the garbage.

Tamil Nadu of India is a true welfare state. Amma has amma water, amma canteen and numerous amma schemes. yesterday I went personally to inspect the amma canteen located in the IT hub-Slum area of Chennai on OMR. By IT hub-Slum area I mean that as the IT industry exploded in Chennai, there were many IT parks construted in OMR road. There was a big slum in that area and hence the IT parks came around it.

The amma canteen that I visited on Sunday morning, was very clean. Women were mopping the floors. Floor was made of Kota stone. Every woman wore head covering gear. There was a massibe UV water treatment plan which provided clean water. In the morning, idly and pongal was being sold. idly was Rs 1 and Pongal was Rs 5. I had pongal. The quantity was large and they poured sambar (around 2 full tumblers). Pongal was like Dal rice but it had black pepper which was the main ingrediant of Pongal. Sambar was great. Better than Saravanabhavan sambar. There was 52" LED TV showing amma's schemes as well as educative disease prevention documentaries made by TN govt..

Now, next is the interesting part. Who are the real user ? I saw only around 2% destitute people. 40 % was lower class people and 45 % upper lower class people who could afford better food outside. My host told me that many IT people also use this amma canteen.

My reason for posting of this in CD which is mainly to be used to promote information to settle CD's / immigrants in Canada is this :

Can this model be used in CAnada. Can the soup kitchens be expanded (on this model) to provide food for seniors and job less immigrants so that they can concentrate on expaning their skills and job search instead of cooking / looking for food? Can the Canadian Govt. allocate resources for this model?

Based on CD's response, I am thinking of contacting the MP's in Canada to see what their views are on this.

Murali

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Good info TK.
Setting aside the political agenda .... Jayalalitha is a difinitively not a normal personality and when she likes to help the people ... she goes to any extent. Guess her political life is over ... but some good section of public still may treat her like a goddess.

Thanks Gurram.
After I wrote the main piece I googled and found that Amma loses Ps. 84 for every idli sold. So losses are mounting which is taken from TN's state taxes.

Also forgot to mention that Lunch is Curd Rice or Sambar Rice. I am sure that it will be as good as the ones made in any rich man's house. Take away's are not allowed.

Also me or my relatives never drink water from restaurants (small ones) and always buy Mineral water. However, UV treated clean water is free in Amma restaurants and you can get 2 Idly coupens for Rs 2 and enter in and drink the water for free.

Murali

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Amma's personal initiative and monitoring reason for the success of the scheme. Will it be better if the needy are given coupons for getting subsidised food from private hotels already running for profit. Leakage and pilferage can be avoided. But whoever in power takes up the scheme would have hit a jackpot considering the popularity now JJ has among the masses.

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Originally posted by ramar2005

Amma's personal initiative and monitoring reason for the success of the scheme. Will it be better if the needy are given coupons for getting subsidised food from private hotels already running for profit. Leakage and pilferage can be avoided. But whoever in power takes up the scheme would have hit a jackpot considering the popularity now JJ has among the masses.

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Can this model be used in CAnada. Can the soup kitchens be expanded (on this model) to provide food for seniors and job less immigrants so that they can concentrate on expaning their skills and job search instead of cooking / looking for food? Can the Canadian Govt. allocate resources for this model?
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This will only work on volunteer basis in Canada. Labour is too expensive in Canada , so the gov. won't pay to run this program. Food will be cheap to get , but paid people to run this program are too expensive, unless they volunteer their time & energy.

TK as you know Food is relatively cheap in Canada , for $ 100/month ..$ 25/week .ONE person can easily eat decent food in Canada, provided he eats basic daily staple like Dal , Rice , Atta , Frozen Veggies , Milk, Eggs, Bread.

The real need is good clean subsidised housing which is cheap & safe & not dangerous. Not some dingy dark depressing desi basement .

Make sure you shop at cheap & non fancy grocery stores like FOOD BASICS , NO FRILLS , FRESHCO etc.

Food Prices : ( Check out the store flyers & see where/when things are on sale , Also Price Match when you can )

Milk 4L - $ 3.99
Eggs 12 Dozen : $ 1.99
Bread : $ 1.99 for 675 gm loaf ( Brown , Multigrain , White Bread )
Atta 20 lbs/9kg : $ 7.99 ( Golden Temple , Deep , Shakti Atta etc )
Rice 10 kg : $ 7.99 - $ 9.99 ( Brown Rice , Regular White Rice ) - Basmati is slightlty more expensive.
Dal 8 kg : $ 9.99 ( Yellow Split Peas )
Cooking Oil : $ 3.99 for 3 L ( vegetable oili , sunflower oil , canola , mazola etc etc )

Apples : 99 c/ lb or $ 2.18/kg
Oranges : 99c/lb or $ 2.18/kg
Bananas : 50c/lb

Butter 454 gm : $ 1.99 - $ 2.99
Margarine : $ 0.99
Dahi 750 gm : $ 1.99 - Indian Yogurt

Most Fresh Vegetables : $ 0.99 - $ 1.99 / lb ..like Egg Plants , Green Pepper etc etc.
Most Frozen Vegetables : $ 0.99 - $ 1.29 for 300 gm - 400 gm - Deep , Shana Brands
Frozen Peas : 1 kg bag for $ 1.99
Frozen Corn : 1 Kg bag for $ 1.99

Potatoes : $ 1.99 - $ 2.99 for 10 lb
Onions : $ 1.99 - $ 2.99 for 10 lb
Fresh Garlic : 50 cents for 5 Garlic Round globes
Fresh Ginger : $ 1.99/lb
Cilantro : $ 0.99 for a bunch

Canned Tomatoes 800 ml - $ 0.99
Fresh Tomatoes : $ 0.99/lb

Chicken : $ 1.29 - $ 1.99 / lb - Leg qtrs , Leg pieces , Thigh pieces etc.

Spices are the same price as India : Turmeric , Garam Masala , Mirchi , Powder Ginger , Powder Garlic , Dhana, Jeera, Coriander powder , Mustard seeds etc.

Adam,
looks like prices have not at all increased since I left in 2011 (4 years back). prices seem almost the same.
On the other hand, prices in India have also not increased since 2011 (raw price of vegetables). Fish, chicken and meat have increased by around 50-100%.
Manpower need not be that expensive in Canada. The min. wage at $ 10.25 or so is hardly expensive.

Govt. to supply vegetables and pulses. Space in some old govt. building and you are good to go. I am sure that there is already a programme called 'Meals on the Go' to feed the seniors. May be this can be expanded to include deserving immigrants !

Anyways, I am still wondering as to which MP i should write to in Canada for this to be raised in the house of commons !!

Murali

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.