CM Stalin to inaugurate expanded school breakfast scheme today; Punjab CM to attend
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will formally launch the expansion of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to urban government and aided schools on Tuesday, extending the initiative to benefit more than three lakh students across the state.
The inaugural event will take place at St. Susaiyappar Primary School in Mylapore, Chennai. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will attend as the Chief Guest, joining Stalin in serving food to children to mark the occasion.
The breakfast scheme was originally introduced on September 15, 2022, when Stalin personally served meals to children at the Adimoolam Corporation Primary School in Madurai. Following overwhelming support from parents and students, the scheme was extended on August 25, 2023, at a government primary school in Thirukkuvalai.
At that stage, more than 18.5 lakh children studying in government schools across Tamil Nadu were receiving free nutritious breakfast before classes.
Further expansion came on July 15, 2024, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. At an event in Keelachery village, Thiruvallur district, Stalin extended the programme to aided schools as well.
As a result, 2,23,536 students from 3,995 aided primary schools began benefiting from the scheme.
Now, the initiative has entered a new phase, with coverage extended to 2,430 government and aided primary schools in urban areas.
The latest expansion is expected to benefit 3,05,000 students from Classes 1 to 5 in city schools.
Officials said the scheme has significantly boosted attendance, reduced hunger-related learning gaps, and won praise from parents who otherwise struggled to provide balanced meals in the morning.
The Tamil Nadu model has begun influencing policies beyond state borders.
Inspired by its success, Telangana and several other states have rolled out breakfast programmes in schools. International recognition has also followed — the Canadian government has adopted the Tamil Nadu breakfast model in its own school system. By ensuring that children receive a hot meal before starting their day, the state government hopes to promote equity in education and strengthen learning outcomes.
With this latest expansion, the scheme now reaches across rural and urban schools, firmly establishing itself as a flagship welfare initiative of the Stalin government.