CHENNAI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to withdraw its decision to outsource the preparation and distribution of meals under the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme. The demand was formalised through a resolution adopted at the party’s district secretary meet on Wednesday.
The resolution comes in response to GCC’s recent call for tenders to privatise meal preparation and distribution under the scheme. As per the tenders, contractors will be selected for the corporation’s three regions — north, south, and central — to manage 35 cluster kitchens and distribute meals to 356 schools.
Recalling a similar attempt in 2023, the CPI(M) stated that the corporation had previously tried to privatise the scheme but was forced to abandon the plan due to strong opposition from the party, including protests during the Chennai corporation council meeting.
The party reiterated its stance that the breakfast scheme should not be privatised and urged the civic body to immediately scrap the latest tender process. Instead, the party called for strengthening Amma Canteens and utilising their staff to ensure quality meals for schoolchildren.
The party’s meeting also passed two other resolutions. One urged the TN government and its labour welfare department to intervene in the crisis faced by employees of the US-based Focus Edumatics, who were laid off allegedly without any prior intimation.
The other resolution condemned Governor R N Ravi for his remarks against communists and the Keezhvenmani memorial. CPI(M) asserted that the governor must refrain from making inflammatory comments about social justice movements, struggles and political ideologies.
Similar attempt in 2023
Recalling a similar attempt in 2023, the CPI(M) stated that the Greater Chennai Corporation had previously tried to privatise the scheme but was forced to abandon the plan due to strong opposition from the party, including protests during the Chennai corporation council meeting