Stalin expands free breakfast scheme to state govt aided primary schools

No matter how much it costs the government, no child should go to school hungry, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said on Monday as he expanded his government’s flagship breakfast scheme to state-aided primary schools.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin offers food to a student during the launch of expansion of the breakfast scheme for primary school children to state-aided private schools in rural regions, in Thiruvallur district, Monday, July 15, 2024. The scheme's expansion also marks the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister K Kamaraj, which is observed as 'Kalvi Valarchi Naal,' (Education Development Day) by the state government. (PTI)

In 2022, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) launched this welfare scheme for children studying in class 1 to 5 in select government schools which has been expanded since to cover more children – as many as 1.85 million students. Monday’s expansion will benefit another 2,23,384 children studying in more than 3,955 government aided primary schools.