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 the canteen. I was calculating it all in money only. Workers expected simple clean and wholesome food, good place to sit while eating and cleanliness in the canteen. I was seeing the cost of the subsidy involved in all this matter and that was my defect in vision. From the point of view of workers, Food had independent value of its own in their mind. The workers were not in a position to bring as good food as the food available the canteen.

subsidy for running

That my mother was in a position to get casual farm labourers and my maternal uncle was not in a position to do so, why senior managers created a chaos in Oberoi in the conference, why my college mates talked about the lunch coupons they were getting from their companies, were all pieces of information in my mind. As soon as I saw the common thread in it;my approach towards the Canteen -problem changed. First I changed the Unichem Canteen in terms of sitting place arrangement, painting of walls, furniture, utensils and decor in total way. The subsidy to the canteen contractor was fixed in relation to actual sale thereby ensuring the quality of food items and the new canteen was ready in six months time. I increased the subsidy many fold and made it attractive to the contractor but strictly dependent on the quality of food which is not easy to measure. In pharmaceutical preparations there are many scientific tests to verify the quality of medicines but there is no scientific method of testing the taste of food. You can measure the size of potato-wada with calliper but people will buy and eat it only if it tastes right. The proof of quality of food in canteen therefore was proportionate to sales by canteen coupons. I converted Unichem Canteen into the best canteen in the neighbourhood. Change in my mind was the part of my education.

This point became clearer when I discussed it with my friends who had occasion to organise functions, conferences and programmes or marriage parties. The success of all those programmes is decided by their Caterers. Mishtannam itarejanah.( feted Satsiet:) is the rule in social functions. In any discussion after the conferences and seminars, the top item of discussions is about the food served. In the literary conferences there is a good deal of discussion about the food and lodging arrangements. It is also common to mention in news reports about the quantity measured in quintals of mutton, chicken, milk etc that was consumed. The creature comforts like lodging and food and decent conveniences are remembered more than the topics discussed. Up to three fourths of the success of a conference is decided by these creature comforts. Everything else is like side dishes. Not only literary but scientific and other conferences and seminars are remembered for these arrangements. I found a lot of commonality in my friends’ experiences.

I have read .several autobiographies. Generally the authors

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