Tamil Nadu Extends Free Breakfast to Middle School Students Under Expanded Kamarajar Scheme

Tamil Nadu has taken another step to strengthen school nutrition with the expansion of its free breakfast programme. On Tuesday, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay formally launched the wider coverage of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme at the Government Middle School in Gandhi Gramam, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai. The scheme, earlier limited to students in Classes 1 to 5, will now include those in Classes 6, 7 and 8 in government and government-aided schools. Officials said this will benefit around 15.3 lakh additional children studying in 15,454 schools across the state. An extra allocation of Rs 217.63 crore has been provided for the current financial year to support the expansion. The total budget for the breakfast programme now stands higher as the government aims to reach more students who often come to school without a proper morning meal. At the launch event, the Chief Minister served breakfast to the children and later sat with them to share the meal. He also visited classrooms and spent time interacting with the students. The scheme has been renamed after former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, recognising his long association with school education and the early mid-day meal efforts in the state. The programme is designed to ensure that children do not sit through morning classes on an empty stomach. Better nutrition is expected to help improve concentration, attendance and overall classroom participation, especially among students from families that struggle to provide a full breakfast every day. Implementation will begin immediately in most districts. The rollout has been deferred in Chengalpattu and Tiruppur for the time being because of the model code of conduct linked to upcoming by-elections. Teachers and school administrators have been asked to maintain hygiene standards in kitchens and serving areas. Centralised kitchens will handle preparation in several urban locations, including parts of Greater Chennai, while other schools will continue with local arrangements under the Directorate of Municipal Administration and related departments. For parents of children studying in government and aided schools, the expansion means one less daily worry. For teachers, it offers a practical way to keep students more attentive during the first half of the day. The move builds on the existing network of the breakfast scheme and extends its reach into the middle school years when many children still need steady nutritional support. The weekly menu typically includes familiar, filling items such as upma, khichdi and pongal, with attention to basic nutrition. Schools have been instructed to complete preparations so that the expanded service runs smoothly from the start. This latest decision continues Tamil Nadu’s focus on using school meal programmes as a tool for both education and child welfare. With the inclusion of Classes 6 to 8, a larger section of students now has access to a free, reliable morning meal at school.