In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday, August 25, 2023 launched the expansion of the State government’s flagship Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to benefit 17 lakh students of classes 1 to 5, studying in 31,008 government schools across the State, at a cost of ₹404.41 crore.
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Speaking at the event, Mr. Stalin called it a special day and said he took immense pride in launching the expansion of this scheme at the Thirukkuvalai Panchayat Union Middle School in Nagapattinam district, where former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi studied.
The CM said a survey conducted among 10 lakh children, of less than six years of age, in urban areas, to check their nutritional status revealed that nearly 92,000 were malnourished. The government provided nutrient supplements to them, and as a result, 62,000 children recovered from malnutrition.
Mr. Stalin said the objective of the breakfast scheme was to eradicate hunger by enhancing the nutritional status, and reducing malnutrition among children. This scheme would also reduce the burden on working mothers and increase the attendance and retention of children in schools.
Quoting the verses ‘Undi koduthor uyir koduthorey’ (those who give nourishment to living beings in this world, give precious life itself) from Manimegalai, one of the five great Tamil epics, he said: “Though the State government has been implementing many flagship schemes such as free bus travel for women and Pudhumai Penn, the breakfast scheme is close to my heart and gives immense satisfaction as it aimed at eradicating hunger, malnutrition, and anaemia among school-going children.”
The CM urged officials to ensure the effective implementation of the scheme and appealed to the students to study well and enhance their skills. “Those who achieved success through struggles found a place in history. The State government will continue to execute welfare measures following the principles of social justice, and [following in the footsteps of] the leaders of the Dravidian movement.”
CM slams NEET, NEP
“Once teachers were like Dronacharya, who had asked for the thumb of his student Ekalavya as Guru Dakshina. In the present day, Dhroga acharyas have been imposing barriers on students through the National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET),” he said, adding, “This is the period of Ekalavyas, and not of Droncharyas.”
After launching the scheme, the Chief Minister had breakfast with the students. He also inspected the kitchen and interacted with women self-help group members, who prepared the food.
P. Senthil Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj; Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment; Nagapattinam MP M. Selvarasu; Collector Johny Tom Varghese; Thiruthuraipoondi MLA V.P. Nagai Mali; N. Gowthaman, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation and U. Mathivanan, Chairman, Tahdco, participated.
The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme was launched by Mr. Stalin on September 15, 2022, on the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, at the Corporation Primary School Aathimoolan II, Simmakal in Madurai. The scheme was initially launched to provide nutritious breakfasts to 1,14,095 students of classes 1 to 5 studying in 1,545 government schools.
Encouraged by the increase in the attendance of students in schools in the wake of the launch of the scheme, the State government decided to expand it across the State. Under the scheme, 50 grams of cereals such as rava, wheat, rice, millets, 15 grams of dal, and locally available vegetables are provided per child per day, along with 150 to 200 grams of cooked food and 60 grams of sambar with vegetables.
