Tenn. food stamp call center in India

NASHVILLE, July 14 (UPI) -- Food-stamp recipients in Tennessee who call with questions may be talking to someone at a call center in India.

Legislators say that the work could be done at home, providing jobs in Tennessee, The Nashville Tennessean reported. But the state Department of Human Services says its agreement with JPMorgan Chase & Co. to administer the contract is the most economical for Tennessee taxpayers.

JPMorgan uses call centers in Illinois and Ohio for the contract as well. Officials say the company told them using those centers and not the Indian one would add $500,000 a year to the cost.

Some state legislators believe the state should pay the additional money.

"It wouldn't benefit Tennessee, but it certainly would benefit the economy of the country," state Rep. Gary Moore said, the Tennessean reported. "I think anything we can do to provide any kind of stimulus to our own ... I think we should be doing."