NCP to launch ''Tai''s kitchen'' to provide cheap food

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, July 21

Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party is all set to launch Tai's (or elder sister's) Kitchen to provide low-priced food for the masses. 

The first Tai's Kitchen will be launched on Sunday on the occasion of senior party leader Ajit Pawar's birthday at Badlapur on the outskirts of Mumbai. The canteen is named after Supriya Sule, daughter of Nationalist Congress Party strongman and Ajit's uncle Sharad Pawar.

NCP councillor Ashish Damle from Badlapur told reporters here that several local businessmen and builders are providing funds for the canteen which promises to provide quality food at Rs 6 per plate.

According to Damle, one chapati and a vegetable will cost Rs 6 while three chapatis and a vegetable will be priced at Rs 10.

"The cost of running a canteen will be about Rs 45,000 every month. Raw materials like flour and vegetables are being sponsored by a businessman," says Damle who also runs a charitable trust. "We are not getting any assistance from the Maharashtra government," Damle said.

According to Damle several senior NCP leaders have also offered to start Tai's Kitchen in other cities of Maharashtra.  In Maharashtra, the then Shiv Sena-led government had started zunka-bhakar kendras in 1994 where the Maharashtrian staple of zunka (a chickpea-based gravy dish) and bhakar (chapati) was sold for Re 1. However, it was abandoned due to low profitablity.

In recent years, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have started Amma and Anna Canteens, respectively, with funding from the state governments.