• durgesh dubey
• 15 Jul, 2024

In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin launched an expansion of breakfast scheme to government-aided primary schools

In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin launched an expansion of breakfast scheme to government-aided primary schools, The scheme claims to benefit "2.2 lakh students in 3,995 government schools to benefit". A total of 20 lakh children given free breakfast across Tamil Nadu. The scheme is aimed at improving attendance and brings down drop outs.

An announcement made in this year's State budget revealed that the expansion of a breakfast scheme will benefit 2,23,536 students in 3,995 government-aided primary schools, according to a press release. Chief Minister Stalin will launch the initiative at St Anne’s School in Keelacheri village, Kadambathur union, Tiruvallur district, on July 15, the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister Kamaraj, observed as ‘Kalvi Valarchi Naal’ (Education Development Day) by the state government.

When the Chief Minister first inaugurated the initiative on September 15, 2022, it covered 1.14 lakh students in Classes 1 to 5 across 1,545 government primary schools. With the statewide expansion on August 25, 2023, about 18.50 lakh students in all 30,992 state-run primary schools were included in the scheme. With this latest expansion, approximately 21.87 lakh students in both government and state-aided primary schools will benefit from the initiative.

In this year's state budget, the government announced the scheme's expansion to state-aided primary schools, and Chief Minister Stalin will launch this initiative in Tiruvallur district. Top officials, Ministers, and elected representatives are expected to participate.

During the initial launch of the scheme’s expansion last year, Stalin quoted reformist leader Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and Dravidian stalwarts C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi, emphasizing that neither poverty nor caste should be barriers to education. “I am following their footsteps and fulfilling their dreams,” the Chief Minister remarked.