Now, it is ‘idli’ from the Prisons Department. A packet of five idlis and vegetable curry will be available from the department on Wednesday onwards at Rs 20, under a project named ‘Santhwanam.’ The idlis have been priced at Rs 10, while the same amount is charged for the curry.
The making of idlis on a commercial basis will be inaugurated by Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan at the Special Sub-Jail at Poojappura on Wednesday. An idli-making machine costing around Rs 4.7 lakh has been installed in the jail for the new venture. The machine, which was brought from Ernakulam, has the capacity to make 600 idlis at one go. “The machine can be put to use at an interval of 15 minutes. That means, it can make 600 idlis in an interval of 15 minutes,” said superintendent of Special Sub-Jail P R Rajeev.
Twenty inmates will be assigned for idli-making in two shifts, one during the daytime and another in the early morning. In the initial stage, idli and curry will be sold through the three outlets; in front of Central Prison, Poojappura; Women’s Prison, Attakulangara; and on the premises of Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram; and through the mobile units which the Prisons Department had launched for the sale of chapati and curry.
Rajeev said that the quantity of idli and curry to be made per day will be decided later according to the demand. Also, the decision to open an idli outlet at the Special Sub-Jail will be made later.
It was the huge success of chapati and curry made from Central Prison, Poojappura, that prompted the department to enter into new ventures. The inaugural function will be held at 3 pm on Wednesday. V Sivankutty MLA will preside over the function. District Panchayat president Remani P Nair will be the chief guest.