Tamil Nadu Extends CM Breakfast Scheme To Classes 6–8 Across Government Schools
Tamil Nadu expands breakfast scheme to higher school classes.
The Tamil Nadu government has announced a significant expansion of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme, extending its coverage to include students from Classes 6 to 8 in government and government-aided schools. The move marks a major step in the state’s school nutrition programme and is expected to benefit a large additional section of students across Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay made the announcement during a review meeting held at the state secretariat, where the functioning of the social welfare and women empowerment department was assessed. According to an official press release, the first phase of the expanded scheme will be implemented on September 17, coinciding with the birth anniversary of social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy.
Social Welfare Minister K Jagadeeswari said the expansion would bring nearly 15 lakh additional students under the programme. With this extension, the total number of beneficiaries is projected to rise from around 20 lakh to approximately 35 lakh students across the state. The scheme currently covers primary school students and will now extend its reach to upper primary classes.
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The minister noted that the government currently spends over ₹600 crore annually on the initiative, and the expanded coverage is expected to increase the expenditure to nearly ₹1,000 crore per year. She added that the scheme remains a key component of the state’s efforts to improve nutrition, attendance and learning outcomes among schoolchildren.
Officials also reviewed safeguards and implementation mechanisms to ensure transparency in the delivery of the scheme. The minister asserted that there had been no major irregularities so far and said strengthened monitoring systems would continue to be in place to prevent any lapses in execution.
Originally launched in Madurai in September 2022, the breakfast scheme has been expanded in multiple phases over the years. It was first extended to all government school students in Classes 1 to 5, followed by gradual inclusion of government-aided schools. The latest expansion is seen as part of the state’s broader welfare approach to strengthen child nutrition and educational support systems.
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