Expanded Morning Meal Programme to Reach 35 Lakh Students
Tamil Nadu has renamed its school morning meal programme after former Chief Minister K Kamaraj and extended it to Classes 6–8. The expanded phase begins September 17 and is expected to take total coverage to 35 lakh students across the state.
Tamil Nadu Renames Breakfast Scheme After Kamaraj, Expands Coverage
Tamil Nadu has renamed its school breakfast programme in honour of former Chief Minister K Kamaraj and announced a major expansion covering students from Classes 6 to 8. The extended phase will begin on September 17, 2026, and is expected to increase the total number of beneficiaries to around 35 lakh.
Chennai, July 23, 2026: The Tamil Nadu government has renamed the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme as the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme, recognising the contribution of former Chief Minister K Kamaraj to education and school meal programmes in the state.
The breakfast programme was introduced by the previous DMK government for primary school students. It currently provides free morning meals to children studying in Classes 1 to 5. The TVK government, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has now decided to extend the scheme to students in Classes 6, 7, and 8 studying in government and government-aided schools.
Expanded Scheme to Begin on September 17
The expanded phase is scheduled to be introduced on September 17, marking the birth anniversary of social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy.
Around 15.14 lakh middle-school students are expected to be added to the programme. With the inclusion of these students, the total number of children receiving free breakfast across Tamil Nadu is projected to increase to approximately 35 lakh.
The government has approved an additional expenditure of ₹343.55 crore for the expansion. Of this, ₹217.63 crore has reportedly been sanctioned for the current financial year to implement the extended phase.
Chief Minister Vijay had earlier directed officials to make the necessary arrangements to expand the programme beyond primary classes. The government said the initiative would help ensure that more students begin their school day with a nutritious meal and are not affected by classroom hunger.
Breakfast Served Across Thousands of Schools
The programme currently operates across 37,447 schools in Tamil Nadu. Children are served meals such as upma, kichadi, and pongal on weekdays, while rava kesari is included in the menu on Fridays.
Officials said the meals are prepared using locally sourced ingredients, including millets. A typical serving provides approximately 293 calories and 9.85 grams of protein, along with nutrients such as iron and calcium.
The scheme is intended to address nutritional deficiencies among schoolchildren while improving attendance, concentration, and participation in classroom activities. It also reduces the burden on families that may find it difficult to provide breakfast to children before school.
Kamaraj’s Contribution to School Education
Kamaraj is widely remembered for expanding access to education during his tenure as Chief Minister. His government promoted the school meal programme to address poverty, encourage enrolment, and reduce the number of children dropping out of school.
The initiative was expanded in later years by successive governments. In 1982, former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran developed it into the Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Programme.
Former Chief Ministers M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa subsequently introduced changes aimed at strengthening the nutritional value and reach of school meal programmes.
The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme was launched in 2022 for students in Classes 1 to 5 at government primary schools. Its coverage was later expanded in phases, including to government-aided primary schools.
Government Says Renaming Restores Recognition
The current government said naming the programme after Kamaraj was intended to give due recognition to the leader associated with the development of school education and meal initiatives in Tamil Nadu.
The programme will now officially be known as the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme. The renaming comes alongside the expansion of its coverage to middle-school students.
DMK Questions Rebranding of Existing Programme
DMK leader Duraimurugan said there was nothing wrong with honouring Kamaraj but questioned the government’s decision to rename an existing welfare programme.
He argued that the earlier name referred to the office of the Chief Minister and was not connected to any individual leader. According to him, the title could have represented any person serving as Chief Minister, including Vijay.
Duraimurugan claimed that repeatedly changing the names of welfare programmes could create an impression that the administration lacked new and innovative projects of its own.
He referred to the DMK government’s decision to retain the name “Amma Unavagam” for the subsidised canteens associated with former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He said governments should show political magnanimity by continuing useful initiatives introduced by their predecessors without unnecessarily changing their identity.
The DMK leader also called for restraint in responding to political criticism. He maintained that political leaders should be prepared to tolerate criticism rather than treating every provocative or defamatory remark as grounds for punitive action.
Despite the political disagreement over its renaming, the expansion of the programme is expected to provide free and nutritious morning meals to lakhs of additional students across Tamil Nadu from September 17.
