Janatha Meal vanishes from Coimbatore Hotels

The Rs 20-meal, introduced by the Tamil Nadu Government in hotels for the benefit of the downtrodden, is no longer available in the eateries across the State.

The scheme, fondly called as Janatha Meal, was introduced in 2008 on the birthday of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on June 3 across the State.

It was made mandatory for all the hotels to serve Rs 20-meal, besides tiffin items like idly, dosa and hot drinks like tea and coffee at a reduced price, thus catering to the needs of the poor. However, now none of the hotels follow the price regulations stipulated by the government.

The hotels served the food items at a reduced rate for a few months, after which the Janatha Meals vanished from their menu. The Rs 20- meal should comprise 400 gram of rice, sambar, rasam, butter milk and a side dish.

The hotels were also asked not to compromise on the quality of the food items. Besides, the government insisted that tiffin items like idly, dosa, pongal and puri, also coffee and tea to be served by the hotels at a reduced price.

Due to the unchecked price rise in hotels at Coimbatore, which serves as a hub for migratory population working in textile units and construction industry, they are largely affected.

“Life is not the same as it were two years ago due to the rising cost of food items in the hotels. In fact, I spend a major share of my salary for food. The government should do something to check the rising prices of food items in the hotels,” said R Suresh, a batchelor, who works at a textile unit in Coimbatore.

Further there is also a general feeling among the public that the price of food items in Coimbatore are generally sold at higher rates than elsewhere. Even at any moderate level hotel in the city, the price of a meal is fixed at around Rs 40, besides, pongal, dosa and other items are sold at a price range of Rs 20 to 30.

Tamil Nadu Hotel Association Youth Wing President C R Senthil Kumar said the hotels could not serve the food items at the stipulated price due to the hike in input cost, besides increasing labour wages and rentals. “All the eateries managed to serve the food items at the government fixed rate for over a year, but now the hotels are helpless. So, it is not possible to serve at the fixed price,” he said. Kumar said the association has urged the government refix the rate of food items.