TN govt renames DMK'S CM Breakfast scheme after late Congress leader Kamaraj

File pic: Children having breakfast at a corporation primary school under the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in Katpadi. | Photo Credit: VENKATACHALAPATHY C

The Tamil Nadu government has renamed the previous DMK regime's Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme after late Congress leader K Kamaraj, as Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme to honour the late Chief Minister.

Kamaraj is celebrated as the leader who revolutionised the state's education sector; he introduced the mid-day meal programme for schools in 1956 to combat poverty and encourage school enrolment. Later, former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran renamed the scheme as Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Programme in 1982.

Their successors - M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa - improved upon the nutrition aspects of the scheme over the years. The previous DMK government under M K Stalin launched the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme in 2022, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Kamaraj on July 15, targeting students of Class 1 to 5.

Aiming to honour the Congress Chief Minister who took the initiative to address the problems of school children, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had on July 15 issued an order renaming the scheme as the Perunthalaivar Kamarjar Breakfast Scheme and also announced expanding the programme to cover students of Class 6 to 8 in government and aided schools across the state.

It will cover newly added classes from September 17, marking the birth anniversary of social reformer Periyar Ramasamy.

The expansion would include about 15.14 lakh middle school students, bringing the state's total beneficiaries to 35 lakh. The government has approved an additional expenditure of Rs 343.55 crore, sanctioning Rs 217.63 crores for the current financial year to rollout the extended phase.

The scheme operates across 37,447 schools in the state and children are provided nutritious breakfast like Upma, Kichadi or Pongal on weekdays and it includes sweet dish Rava Kesari on Fridays.

Locally sourced millet-based breakfast helps to address nutrition disorders providing about 293 calories, 9.85 grams of protein besides iron and calcium, an official said.

Published on July 23, 2026