Amma Unavagam (Tamil: அம்மா உணவகம்) - literal translation: "Mom's Restaurant" - is a food subsidization program, enacted by the Tamil Nadu state government, in India.
Under this scheme, the state's municipal corporations run canteens serving food, mainly Idlis, Sambar Rice and Curd rice at low prices.Under the scheme, the corporations, with the help of self-help groups, establish canteens at various places in a city and sell food at very low prices, as low as Re.1 for an Idli, and Rs. 3 per plate of Sambar Rice or Curd Rice. The menu is also planned to be expanded to include Pongal, Tamarind rice, or curry leaf rice and Chapathi. The canteens are also planned to be solar-powered.
Offering food at subsidized rated under the scheme will incur the Corporations loss (for example, it was reported that in Coimbatore, the loss would be Rs. 2.64 for an idli , Rs. 9.73 for a unit of sambar rice and Rs. 4.44 for a unit of curd rice, incurring a total of Rs. 2.70 crore a year on the Corporation) and the release of funds to this scheme was opposed in Tirunelveli. Also, concerns were raised on the effect these corporation canteens will have on pushcart eateries, who cannot compete with the prices offered by the canteens.