Punjab CM Mann Joins Stalin at Breakfast Launch

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin launched the fifth phase of the transformative "Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme" on Tuesday, extending free, nutritious meals to 3.06 lakh more children in 2,429 urban schools. Joined by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Stalin served food to students at St Joseph’s Primary School in Chennai, marking a milestone in the Dravidian model government’s flagship initiative. With this expansion, the scheme now benefits 20.59 lakh children across 37,416 government and state-aided schools.

The program, launched in 2022 after Stalin observed children arriving at school hungry, provides hot meals like Pongal, kichdi, or Upma with dhal and sambar, prepared in centralized, hygienic kitchens and delivered to schools by vans. “This isn’t just expenditure—it’s a social investment for Tamil society’s future,” Stalin declared, noting the scheme’s annual cost of Rs 600 crore. He highlighted its profound impact, including improved child health, better classroom engagement, and reduced parental stress, especially for working families.

Since its inception, the scheme has grown from serving 1.14 lakh children in 545 schools to its current scale, with studies showing remarkable outcomes. From December 2023 to December 2025, government school children exhibited better health, fewer hospital visits, higher attendance, and improved learning skills, alongside reduced nutrition deficiencies. “The results are phenomenal,” Stalin said, adding that the initiative is inspiring other states and even countries like Canada, which recently adopted a similar program.

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Mann, attending as chief guest, praised the scheme and expressed interest in replicating it in Punjab, a sentiment Stalin shared with pride on X: “His words fill my heart with joy. I eagerly await the day it takes shape in Punjab.” The event also highlighted Tamil Nadu’s broader welfare efforts, including Rs 1,000 monthly aid for women, fare-free bus travel for women, and nutrition programs for infants. Stalin emphasized the state’s 11.19% economic growth in 2024-25, aiming to make Tamil Nadu number one in all sectors.

Addressing the children, Stalin offered heartfelt advice: “Eat well, learn well, play well; your life will be good.” The scheme’s success underscores Tamil Nadu’s legacy of pioneering school meal programs, dating back to the Justice Party’s efforts over a century ago and the noon meal scheme under former CM K Kamaraj in the 1950s. As the state continues to set a global example, the breakfast scheme stands as a beacon of social progress, ensuring no child studies on an empty stomach.

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