Journalism of Courage
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on Thursday launched the first phase of a state-wide free breakfast programme in Madurai for the students in Classes one to five in selected state government schools. (Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu)
M K Stalin said providing food in schools with education is not about the cost but a government’s duty. He added that the noon meal programme was started a century ago in 1922 by P. Theagaraya Chetty, the then-Mayor of the Madras Corporation and a veteran Justice Party leader. (Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu)
The first such scheme in the state, which pioneered the noon meal scheme a century ago and was later modelled by several states across the country, will benefit approximately 1.14 lakh children in the initial phase at a total cost of Rs 33.56 crore. (Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu)
The phase will be rolled out in 1,545 schools, including 417 in cities, 163 in towns and district centres, 728 in rural areas, and 237 in remote and hilly areas. The breakfast scheme menu is designed to change daily to include a variety of breakfast items such as upma, kichadi, pongal, rava kesari or semiya kesari. (Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu)
During the inauguration programme, the chief minister also honoured all those people across the state who supply food to the poor and needy at subsidised rates. (Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu)
Stalin, who was seen feeding the students with his hand, said there should not be any reason that “deny educational opportunities” to anyone. (Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu)
