Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday inaugurated the expansion of the state government’s flagship “Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme” to urban areas, marking its fifth phase of implementation.

At the launch held at St Joseph’s Primary School in Chennai, Stalin, accompanied by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann as chief guest, personally served food to students.

The expansion will cover an additional 3.06 lakh children across 2,429 schools, taking the total number of beneficiaries to 20.59 lakh students statewide.

Government spokesperson and additional chief secretary P. Amudha said breakfast is being prepared in centralised kitchens under strict hygiene standards. Dishes such as pongal, kichdi and upma, with accompaniments including dhal and sambar, will be delivered to schools in dedicated vans.

First announced in May 2022 and launched in Madurai that September, the scheme provides free breakfast to students of Classes I–V.

“This is not mere food, but a foundation for growth,” Stalin said, stressing that the initiative continues the state’s long-standing commitment—from the Justice Party era to the present Dravidian Model government—to address hunger and support education.

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