Tamil Nadu CM to launch expansion of breakfast scheme to govt aided schools today

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is all set to launch the expansion of the government's breakfast scheme for primary school children to state-aided schools as well on July 15, the birth anniversary of iconic leader K Kamaraj.

The move will benefit 2,23,536 children in 3,995 government-aided primary schools across the state, the government said. Stalin will launch the breakfast scheme at St Anne's school at Keelacheri village under Kadambathur union in Tiruvallur district. July 15, the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister Kamaraj is observed as 'Kalvi Valarchi Naal,' (Education Development Day) by the state government.

When the Chief Minister inaugurated the initiative on September 15, 2022, 1.14 lakh students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in 1,545 government primary schools were covered under the scheme.

With the expansion of the scheme across the State on August 25, 2023, about 18.50 lakh students in all the 30,992 state-run primary schools were brought under the initiative's cover. By bringing aided schools under the scheme's ambit, about 21.87 lakh students in total will be benefitted. Also, the scheme will be operational across the state in both government and state-aided primary schools.

In the state budget this year, the government announced expanding the scheme to state-aided primary schools and giving effect to that announcement, Stalin is all set to launch the initiative in Tiruvallur district. Top officials, Ministers and elected representatives are set to take part.

Last year, launching the scheme's expansion, Stalin had quoted reformist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy, Dravidian stalwarts, C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi as having said that nothing -be it poverty or caste- should be an obstacle to access education. "I am following their footsteps and fulfilling their dreams," the CM had observed.