The Punjab government will consider launching a breakfast plan like Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, who were in Chennai, which were involved in the expansion of “CM’s breakfast scheme” in government aided schools in urban areas in Tamil Nadu.
The major program of the Tamil Nadu government was launched in 2022, which was carried out to provide free breakfast to school children studying in class 1-5 in government schools, covering 300,000 students.
Chief Minister MK Stalin started the expansion, saying, “From today, students from 20.59 lakh (2.059 million) will benefit from the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme in 37,416 government and government-helped primary schools.” “Schools should not only provide education, but also address hunger.”
In a post on X after having breakfast with children in a government aided school in Maylapore, Chennai, Mann said, “It is worth noting their nutrition with good education.”
CM’s breakfast plan is the annual cost 600 crores. “But I would not call it a expense; this is a social investment. This investment will give many returns to the Tamil society in the coming years,” Stalin said, stating that well -fed children will study well and contribute to the development of society.
Between December 2023 and December 2024, studies conducted by the state government stated that children’s health has improved, hospital tour declined, attendance increased, learning results improved, malnutrition declined, and decreased incidence of infections.
CM said, “The scheme has also reduced the burden of parents, especially for families working, by ensuring that their children have to get a nutritious food in school.”
Stalin said that he was eagerly waiting to watch the scheme in Punjab. “After seeing its impact here, he (Maan) said he would consider starting a similar plan in Punjab and organizing it,” he said.
The scheme was launched in Madurai on 15 September 2022. In the first phase, 1,545 schools and 1,14,095 students benefited.
On August 25, 2023, in Thirukkulai, the DMK government expanded the scheme in all government primary schools.
In 2024, it was further enhanced into rural government-helped schools. By then, 1.7 million students had benefited.
After its success, it was expanded to 2,429 government aided schools in urban areas on Tuesday. This will benefit additional 306,000 children.
Overall, from Tuesday, 2.059 million students were studying in 37,416 government and the government -aided primary schools across Tamil Nadu will eat freshly prepared nutritious breakfast every morning and enter their classrooms.