GCC to privatise breakfast scheme in 358 schools across Chennai
The GCC floated a tender on Sunday for outsourcing the scheme for a year in the city
Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has floated a tender to privatise the breakfast scheme in Chennai schools
CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has floated a tender to privatise the breakfast scheme in Chennai schools, following the order from the State government.
The CM’s breakfast scheme has been operating in 358 schools across the city, which benefits 65,030 students.
Implemented in 2022-2023 financial year, the first phase aimed to provide breakfast to over 1.14 lakh students in 1,545 government primary schools from classes 1-5 functioning in municipal corporations, municipalities, rural (village panchayats), and hilly regions. As per the social welfare commissioner’s letter to the GCC Commissioner, breakfast has been provided under the CM’s Breakfast Scheme to 65,030 students in Classes 1-5 in 358 schools, which include government schools, Corporation schools and Adi Dravidar schools operating in all 15 zones from August 2023.
In the recent order, the government has urged the GCC to outsource it for the schools in the city. It has been stated that for projects costing more than Rs 10 crore, whether fully or partially funded by the State, requires administrative approval from the government.
Breakfast must be prepared in good quality by a qualified agency and supplied to the schools. Based on this, the GCC floated a tender on Sunday for outsourcing it for a year in the city.
Several ward councillors are against privatisation of a government-sponsored scheme, as they claim that contractors would not be held accountable. K Karthik, AIADMK Councillor of Ward 7 said, “The State government is privatising the breakfast scheme for revenue purposes, as the contract will be awarded to politicians itself. The government has been maintaining Amma Unavagams across the state; so, it will not be difficult for this also.”
Condemning the GCC’s decision, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said: “Preparing food in centralised kitchens and transporting it to schools will delay distribution and the food will not be served hot. If the GCC wants to improve the scheme, it can prepare the food inside the schools itself, as kitchens are already established.”