Kochi Mayor Targets Samruddhi to Undermine Kudumbashree: Dr. T M Thomas Isaac

Kochi: Dr. T M Thomas Isaac, CPI M Central Committee member, has criticised Kochi’s new Congress mayor, V K Minimol, for her decisions impacting Samruddhi, the widely popular public canteen initiative under the Kudumbashree programme. In a social media statement, Dr. Isaac expressed concern that the mayor’s actions could threaten one of the city’s most successful public welfare projects.

Samruddhi canteens, known for their affordable and high-quality meals, operate in key areas including Kakkanad, Fort Kochi, and Kadavanthra. The initiative has also partnered with IRCTC to provide railway catering and currently manages the canteen at the Shipyard for workers. According to Dr. Thomas Isaac, the programme has earned widespread public support due to the quality of food rather than just low prices.

The controversy arose following the Minimol’s decision to start a new canteen at Indira Nagar, offering meals at 10 rupees. Critics, including Thomas Isaac, argue that this move undermines the existing Samruddhi infrastructure and represents a politically motivated attempt to interfere with Kudumbashree’s successful model. He highlighted that if the existing system received appropriate subsidy support, Samruddhi could provide meals at the same price without disrupting current operations.

Thomas Isaac also took aim at Congress, recalling past attempts to replace Kudumbashree with alternative schemes like Janashree. He noted that Kudumbashree’s emergence as Kerala’s largest women’s self-help initiative faced stiff resistance from such efforts but survived due to widespread public and women-led protests, particularly in Kochi.

“The real issue is not the name of the canteen,” Isaac said. “Samruddhi is one of the state’s most significant public welfare projects, nurtured by Kudumbashree. Attempts to undermine it follow the same pattern historically seen in UDF policies.” He warned that moves to dismantle Samruddhi could be a “sample experiment” of larger political intentions to weaken Kudumbashree, drawing parallels to UDF’s promises to disband major state projects like Life Mission and KIIFB.

Isaac appealed to Kochi residents to defend Samruddhi, emphasising that the initiative should remain free from partisan politics and continue serving the public efficiently.