Chennai: To provide quality food at an affordable cost to college students, state govt will allow women’s self-help groups (SHGs) to run canteens at govt colleges.

A cup of sundal costs 10, while other snacks, including bonda, bajji and vada, will be 5 a piece. Veg-biryani is priced at 30.

“During our training programmes for college students and teachers, many asked for a canteen. We have strong women-run self-help groups trained in catering services. So, the state govt is establishing SHG canteens in govt colleges,” said Tansche vice-chairman M P Vijayakumar.

“As announced by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, they will be established in all 269 govt arts and science colleges, engineering colleges, polytechnic colleges, and colleges of education, before the next academic year,” he added. Some colleges which have canteens will switch to SHG-run ones after their agreements end.

Most govt colleges are located in remote areas that lack proper canteen facilities, and students from poor and marginalised families cannot afford to eat from hotels and restaurants nearby. The govt arts college in Nandanam is one of the few that got an SHG-run canteen recently.

“We have a canteen which serves snacks, tea and coffee. The SHG canteen serves home-cooked food at affordable rates. Their veg-biryani is a favourite among students,” a professor from the college said.

“State govt should consider extending SHG canteens to govt-aided and private colleges, where many students attend classes on an empty stomach,” a professor said.

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