The flagship scheme, Amma Canteen, which has been replicated across the country, has seen a reduction of more than 40% in the number of beneficiaries

The Amma schemes initiated by the Chennai Corporation in the past few years are on the decline.

The Corporation’s flagship scheme, Amma Canteen, which has been replicated across the country, has seen a reduction of more than 40% in the number of beneficiaries, say officials. The number of beneficiaries has reduced from 3.5 lakh per day to 1.8 lakh per day.

According to data compiled by the Corporation, the number of idlis sold has reduced from 4.5 lakh to 3.01 lakh. On May 15, 407 canteens in Chennai supplied just 3,01,474 idlis and 88,323 plates of rice and 1,04,008 chappatis to beneficiaries.

Similarly, the Amma drinking water scheme has also failed to offer services to all the beneficiaries because of various glitches. Launched in February 2016 by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the civic body is able to run only 49 facilities, as against the announcement of 100 outlets.

Corporation officials said that Amma drinking water supply units have been commissioned at 49 locations. Each of the families gets 20 litres of drinking water per day free of cost. However, most of the 18 lakh poor residents are yet to get smart cards for water supply. The original proposal of former Mayor Saidai Duraisamy was to supply at least eight lakh drinking water cans with 20-litre capacity. However, Corporation officials have pointed to the widening deficit owing to the increase in expenditure on welfare schemes such as Amma Canteens.

According to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on local bodies for the year ended March 31, 2015, the expenditure on Amma Canteens in 2014-2015 crossed ₹100 crore in Chennai. Corporation officials said the funds crunch was severe. Former Mayor Saidai Duraisamy claimed that the proposals for five schemes — Amma Canteen, Amma Theatre, AMMAA market, Amma drinking water and Amma Pharmacy — were given by him. While the bureaucrats were reluctant, the former Chief Minister had agreed to implement them all, he said, adding that the schemes served 3.5 lakh urban poor daily.

Regulatory mechanism

Inderjeet Singh Sodhi of Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development said that the regulatory mechanism for such type of welfare schemes has to be strengthened.

“The Amma schemes are creative. They have benefited a lot of people. States such as Rajasthan have implemented the scheme. But politics and political institutions have a greater impact on such welfare schemes. I do not think the internal politics in the AIADMK will be solved immediately,” said Prof. Sodhi.