Tamil Nadu’s CM Breakfast Scheme Expands to Urban Primary Schools: Over 20 Lakh Students Set to Benefit Statewide

Chennai, September 25, 2025 – In a landmark move to bolster child nutrition and school attendance, the Tamil Nadu government has announced the expansion of its flagship Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to include urban primary schools across the state, targeting over 20 lakh students. Launched initially in 2022 for rural government schools, the scheme has been hailed as a game-changer in addressing malnutrition and improving classroom engagement. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, speaking at a function in Chennai on Wednesday, underscored the initiative’s role in building a healthier and more educated Tamil Nadu, with a special focus on urban centers like Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai where nutritional gaps among schoolchildren persist.

The expanded scheme, effective from October 1, 2025, will cover students in Classes 1 to 5 in government and government-aided urban primary schools, providing free, nutritious breakfasts daily. With an additional budget allocation of ₹600 crore for the 2025-26 fiscal year, the program aims to bridge dietary deficiencies, reduce dropout rates, and enhance academic performance, particularly among children from low-income families. The announcement comes amid growing evidence of the scheme’s success in rural areas, where attendance has risen by 15% and anemia rates among children have dropped significantly since its inception.

A Nutritional Lifeline for Urban Students

The CM’s Breakfast Scheme, officially titled the “Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Programme,” provides a balanced menu featuring protein-rich dishes like upma, pongal, rava kesari, and sambar rice, supplemented with boiled eggs, bananas, and milk on designated days. The expansion to urban schools addresses a critical need highlighted by a 2024 Tamil Nadu Health Department survey, which found that 22% of urban primary school children in cities like Chennai and Salem suffer from undernutrition, often due to reliance on processed foods or skipped meals in low-income households.

“Every child deserves a healthy start to their day. A full stomach fuels a sharp mind,” said Chief Minister Stalin during the launch event at a government school in T. Nagar, Chennai. He noted that the scheme’s rural success – serving 15.5 lakh students across 31,000 schools – inspired its urban rollout. The expansion will cover 7,500 additional schools, bringing the total to 38,500 statewide. Chennai alone will see 1,200 urban schools integrated into the program, benefiting approximately 3.5 lakh students in the Greater Chennai Corporation area.

The menu, designed in consultation with nutritionists, adheres to the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) guidelines, providing 400-500 calories per meal and meeting 30% of a child’s daily protein and micronutrient needs. Special provisions for children with dietary restrictions, such as vegan or gluten-free options, are being piloted in select urban schools. The state has also partnered with local self-help groups (SHGs) to prepare and distribute meals, creating over 10,000 jobs for women in urban areas.

Impact on Attendance and Learning Outcomes

The scheme’s rural implementation has yielded measurable results, which officials hope to replicate in urban settings. A 2024 evaluation by the Tamil Nadu Education Department found that schools under the breakfast program reported a 12-15% increase in attendance, particularly among girls, and a 10% improvement in academic performance in core subjects like Tamil, English, and Mathematics. Teachers noted enhanced concentration levels among students, attributing it to the elimination of hunger-related fatigue.

In urban areas, where working parents often struggle to provide morning meals, the scheme is expected to alleviate economic pressures and reduce absenteeism. “Many children in Chennai’s slums come to school hungry, relying on tea or biscuits. This scheme will ensure they start the day with energy,” said R. Shanthi, headmistress of a government primary school in Mylapore. The initiative also aligns with the state’s broader “Naan Mudhalvan” program, which emphasizes holistic student development through nutrition, skills, and education.

Implementation and Logistics

The expansion involves meticulous planning to ensure seamless delivery. The School Education Department has established 1,500 new centralized kitchens in urban areas, each equipped to serve 1,000-1,500 students daily. These kitchens, staffed by trained cooks from SHGs, adhere to strict hygiene standards mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). To address logistical challenges in densely populated cities, the government has deployed refrigerated vans for meal transport and introduced biodegradable packaging to minimize waste.

A digital monitoring system, integrated with the Education Management Information System (EMIS), tracks meal distribution, attendance, and nutritional outcomes in real-time. District-level committees, comprising education officers, health inspectors, and parent representatives, will conduct monthly audits to ensure quality and accountability. “We’ve learned from the rural rollout. Urban challenges like traffic and space constraints are being addressed with precision,” said School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi.

Funding and Sustainability

The ₹600 crore allocation for the urban expansion brings the total budget for the CM’s Breakfast Scheme to ₹2,100 crore annually. The state has secured partial funding through the Central government’s PM Poshan Scheme, with Tamil Nadu contributing 60% of the costs. To ensure sustainability, the government is exploring corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnerships with Tamil Nadu-based companies like TVS and Murugappa Group to fund kitchen infrastructure and nutritional supplements.

The initiative has also drawn praise from international agencies. UNICEF, which has supported Tamil Nadu’s nutrition programs, called the urban expansion “a model for other states” in tackling child malnutrition. The World Food Programme has offered technical assistance to scale up millet-based meals, which are both cost-effective and nutrient-dense.

Stakeholder Reactions and Challenges

Teachers’ unions and parent associations have lauded the expansion, with the Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers’ Federation describing it as “a transformative step for equitable education.” However, some urban schools have raised concerns about space constraints for kitchen setups and the need for additional staff to manage meal distribution. The government has promised to address these through phased infrastructure upgrades.

Opposition parties, including the AIADMK, have supported the scheme but urged greater transparency in fund utilization. “The government must ensure every rupee reaches the children and isn’t lost to inefficiencies,” said AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Meanwhile, civic groups have called for community oversight to prevent pilferage and ensure consistent meal quality.

Looking Ahead: A Hunger-Free Tamil Nadu

The CM’s Breakfast Scheme is a cornerstone of Tamil Nadu’s ambitious “Hut-Free, Hunger-Free State” vision by 2030, which includes housing and nutrition security for all. With the urban rollout, the state aims to cover 90% of primary school students by 2026, potentially expanding to middle schools thereafter. Nutritionists and educators hope the program will reduce Tamil Nadu’s child undernutrition rate – currently at 19% per the National Family Health Survey-5 – by half within a decade.

As the scheme takes root in urban centers, parents like S. Lakshmi, a domestic worker in Chennai’s Saidapet, express relief. “My daughter used to skip breakfast because I leave for work early. Now, she’ll eat well at school, and I can focus on earning,” she said. For Tamil Nadu’s 20 lakh urban schoolchildren, the promise of a nutritious breakfast signals not just a meal, but a brighter future in the classroom and beyond.

(This report is based on official statements from the Tamil Nadu School Education Department, stakeholder inputs, and nutritional data as of September 25, 2025.)

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