Chennai, Sep 22:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay launched the expansion of the rechristened Perunthalaivar Kamarajar free Breakfast Scheme for students of Classes 6 to 8 at a function in the city on Tuesday morning.
The Chief Minister recently renamed the CM Breakfast scheme after Congress stalwart and former CM K.Kamaraj, who was the architect in introducing the noon meal scheme for students.
Vijay launched the scheme, which hitherto covered students of Class to 5 and now extended to Class 6-8 students, at the Government Middle School in Gandhi Gramam in Tiruvanmiyur area of Chennai. Vijay personally served breakfast to the students, interacted with them and also sat along with them and par took the morning tiffin.
The scheme was simultaneously launched across the state, barring in Chengalpattu and Tiruppur districts, where the Model Code of Conduct is in force in view of the October six bypolls to Madurantakam and Dharapuram seats.
The expanded scheme will benefit 15.30 lakh additional students studying in Classes 6 to 8 in 15,454 government and government-aided schools across Tamil Nadu. The State government has allocated an additional Rs.217.63 crore during the current financial year for the expansion, taking the overall allocation for the breakfast scheme to Rs.724 crore.
The scheme is aimed at ensuring that children attending government and government-aided schools do not remain hungry during the morning and can concentrate better on their studies. In Chennai, the expanded programme will cover 447 schools. Adequate arrangements were made through integrated kitchens in schools in other urban areas. In rural areas, meals will be prepared at schools with the participation of self-help groups.
School Education Minister A.Rajmohan said the government was taking steps to ensure that students receive nutritious and good quality food under the expanded programme. A special committee was being constituted to finalise the menu and suggest suitable food items for students, he said, adding that quality food would be provided until the committee completes its recommendations.
The Chief Minister has also instructed officials to ensure that kitchens and serving areas are maintained hygienically and that food served to students is hot, tasty and nutritious. The government has said the expansion is intended to strengthen nutritional support for schoolchildren, encourage regular attendance, prevent dropouts and better participation in education.