TN govt renames breakfast scheme after Kamaraj, expands to middle schools
Chennai, July 22
The Tamil Nadu government has renamed its flagship school breakfast programme as the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme, paying tribute to former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj while simultaneously expanding the initiative to benefit students studying in Classes VI to VIII in government and government‑aided schools across the State.
A government Order issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment approved the change in the scheme's name. The order, dated July 15 to coincide with Kamaraj's birth anniversary, was circulated on Wednesday.
The breakfast programme was originally introduced during the previous DMK government to provide nutritious morning meals to students from Classes I to V in government and government‑aided schools.
Following the formation of the TVK‑led government, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay directed officials to extend the scheme to middle school students, significantly widening its coverage.
At present, the scheme benefits 19,34,230 students studying in Classes I to V across 37,447 government and government‑aided schools. With the latest expansion, another 15,14,274 students enrolled in Classes VI to VIII will be brought under the programme.
According to the government, the expanded scheme will cover 15,454 schools across Tamil Nadu. This includes 8,787 schools where the breakfast programme is already being implemented for primary classes and will now be extended to middle school students, as well as 6,667 additional schools that have Classes VI and above.
Officials said the expansion is intended to strengthen child nutrition, improve attendance and ensure that students begin the school day with a healthy meal, thereby supporting better learning outcomes and overall well‑being.
The government has estimated that extending the programme to middle school students will require an additional expenditure of Rs 343.55 crore. It has already sanctioned Rs 217.63 crore for the current financial year towards implementing the expanded component of the scheme.
The expanded Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme will be launched on September 17, the birth anniversary of social reformer Periyar E. V. Ramasamy. The government said the rollout marks another step in strengthening Tamil Nadu's school nutrition programmes while recognising the contributions of two of the State's most influential leaders to social welfare and educational development.
With the expansion, the scheme is expected to become one of the largest school nutrition initiatives in the country, complementing the State's longstanding noon meal programme and benefiting millions of children every school day.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting rebranding. But more than the name change, the expansion to middle schools is what truly matters. Rs 343 crore is a significant amount, but if it means better attendance and nutrition for kids, it's money well spent. Hope it's implemented without delays.
Great initiative, but I have a small reservation. Why launch it on Periyar's birth anniversary when it's named after Kamaraj? Should have been launched on Kamaraj's birthday itself. Anyway, happy to see more kids getting nutritious meals. Pola vaanga!
Finally, some good news. 👏 Kamaraj was a visionary when it came to education in TN. This recognition is well-deserved. Now if only they can ensure the breakfast is actually healthy - proper sambar, rice, and maybe an egg? Not just some diluted kanji.
As a teacher in a government school, I see firsthand how hungry children come to class. This expansion is a lifesaver for many families. But the government must ensure proper storage and hygiene - last year some kids fell sick due to stale food in other districts. Hope the TVK administration takes care of implementation.
Impressive scale - 34 lakh students across 37,000+ schools. That's a massive operation. The Rs 343 crore additional cost seems reasonable for feeding 15 lakh more children. TN's midday meal scheme has been a model for other states; this breakfast expansion could become one too.
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