Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Price hike imminent at Kudumbasree canteens

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cost-friendly Kudumbasree canteens functioning in various government offices and educational institutions in the district are all set to revise their rates, thanks to the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

The price hike is not expected to take place uniformly across all the 23 units operating in the district. “The revision in prices will not be uniform and will be undertaken only in consultation with the authorities of those educational institutions and offices with which the Kudumbasree units have entered into a contract,” said N. Shylakumar, district mission coordinator, Kudumbasree.

The 8-member Kudumbasree canteen functioning at University College has already submitted a proposal to the college authorities indicating the price hike. “We had a discussion with the college authorities in February regarding the proposed hike,” said Girija A., secretary of the unit.

“The new prices will be listed on the menu card by June, when the college reopens,” she said.

The canteen has not revised its rates ever since it entered into an annual contract with the college authorities in 2005. But now the unit is feeling the pinch.

“Today we are able to run this canteen solely because of our outdoor catering service,” said Ms. Girija. The canteen earns around Rs.1 lakh from outdoor catering services alone every month.

“The profit from the canteen has reduced by more than half,” said Ms. Girija whose team of Kudumbasree members drawn from Nalanchira, Vattappara and Sreekarayam wards provides lunch for nearly 200 persons, including students and staff, on a daily basis.

The canteen now offers tea for Rs.2 and lunch for Rs.10. Even after the proposed price-hike of 50 paise for tea and coffee and Rs.2 for lunch and special items such as fish and beef, it is still cheaper than the conventional rates at most of the eateries in the city.

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