Now Amma Amudham departmental stores

Chennai: Taking the people-friendly initiatives a step further with an aim to reduce the increasing household expense of the public, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has announced the setting up of 300 departmental stores across Tamil Nadu.

The decision to start ‘Amma Amudham’ departmental stores comes close on the heels of the populist pro-people initiative from the Jayalalithaa government such as subsidised Amma canteens, Amma pharmacies, Farm Fresh vegetable outlets and Amma water. Recently, Ms. Jayalalithaa had launched salt under the brand name ‘Amma.’

Making a suo moto statement in the Assembly on Friday, Jayalalithaa said  Amma Amudham Departmental Stores would be started at an outlay of Rs 37.17 crore.

Already, 137 departmental stores were functioning under the cooperative department.

In an effort to enhance the storage capacity of the TN civil supplies godowns, the government would establish 39 new godowns with a combined capacity of 84,500 metric tonnes at a cost of Rs 112.57 crore. This initiative is expected to increase the storage capacity of food grains to 8.36 lakh metric tons.

About 100 direct paddy procurement centres would be constructed including 75 in Cauvery irrigated areas and 25 in Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Erode and Kanyakumari districts for the benefit of the farmers. The government would spend '35 crore for this purpose.

Further, the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) has authorised the introduction of Negotiable Warehouse Receipts system to help farmers gains access to loans from banks and avoid distress sale of agricultural commodities.

These receipts allow transfer of ownership of that commodity stored in warehouse without having to deliver the physical commodity and these receipts are issued in negotiable form, making them eligible as collateral for loans.

A Centre for Consumer Education Research Teaching Training and Testing would be established on 3.03-acre land in Sholinganallur, Ms Jayalalithaa said.