Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is set to expand its free breakfast scheme to more schools across the state
While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin told the state Legislative Assembly that the free breakfast scheme was a major success and that the government was looking forward to expanding it. Government sources told IANS that the scheme would be expanded catering to more schools in April 2023.
The scheme has turned out to be a success in Tamil Nadu.
Pazhanimurugan, of Class IV in a government primary school at Chengalpattu while speaking to IANS said, "I am really happy. Earlier, I used to get only one or two biscuits and a little tea or coffee. However, after the government launched the free breakfast scheme, I am full in my tummy and my favourite food is Pongal."
Concerns over the breakfast scheme remain
However, it may be noted that during the first phase of the scheme it was targeted to provide free breakfast to 1,14, 095 students across the state, which is only 10 percent of the targeted 20,00,000 students. The government is planning to expand the scheme in a phased manner.
While the scheme has become a major hit among the children, the teachers are finding it tough as in most of the schools, breakfast is served by them. The school education department has appointed volunteers for serving breakfast to children but in many schools, these volunteers have not been present with the teachers having to serve the students.
Scheme a favourite among poor, lower-income households
The children studying in government primary schools mostly hail from poor backgrounds and the scheme has been well accepted among the general public.
Shantharam, an auto-rickshaw driver from Madurai while speaking to IANS said, "During Covid and after that I lost my job, my auto was taken away by financiers as I failed to repay the loan amount. Now I am working as a driver in another auto and don't have the means to provide healthy food to my children. The scheme of providing breakfast to children of government primary schools has helped people like me a lot as now we are assured that our kids are full in the stomach".
However, the scheme requires more modifications including stringent measures to assure that the volunteers appointed by the school education are serving the food instead of falling it on the shoulders of teachers.
It may be noted that it was Tamil Nadu that started the free breakfast scheme for school students and this has become a major hit among students and their parents.
