Chennai, Jun 21 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Friday announced that state transport corporations will set up mineral water plants and sell bottled water at Rs.10 per litre.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said: "In order to provide safe drinking water at cheap rates on behalf of state transport corporations, Amma Mineral Water plants will be set up state wide."

She said the first plant will be set up at Gummundipoondi on the outskirts of the state capital with a capacity of three lakh litres per day. This plant is expected to start operations Sep 15.

According to Jayalalithaa the bottled water will be sold in long-distance buses and at bus stands.

She said the transport corporations will sell a bottle of water at Rs.10 while the Railways and private players have priced their water bottles at Rs.15 and Rs.20 per litre respectively.

According to Jayalalithaa, her government has opened Amma Canteens at several places in the state which sell food items at cheap rates.

Recently the government opened vegetable shops supplying produce cheaper than at other places. There are 31 such shops in the state capital and its suburbs, she said.