How it started:
Tamil Nadu was one of the first states to introduce the mid-day meal scheme in India. In 1956, K Kamaraj the third Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu initiated the scheme first in Chennai, later in every district of Tamil Nadu. The objective of the mid-day meal scheme was to provide nutritious food for the students of government and government – aided schools.
Poverty-stricken people who were unable to send their children to school later send their children to school to get free nutritious food as a result the number of students coming to school increased. M. G. Ramachandran then the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu extended the Midday Nutritious Meal Scheme by providing food to anganwadis and to primary school students. This scheme fed 66 lakh children. M.Karunanidhi as Chief Minister added boiled eggs to the mid-day meal scheme.
CM Stalin inaugurates Breakfast scheme:
Chief Minister Stalin launches breakfast scheme for school students of classes I to V government schools at the Corporation Primary School Aathimoolam II in Simmakal, Madurai. During the inauguration Stalin mentions that it cannot be counted as a freebie on the contrary, it is one of the state government’s duties to make sure the children are fed.
Stalin implemented the breakfast programme after learning from students that they usually come to school on an empty stomach while he attended a programme at a school in Chennai. The scheme will benefit 1.14 lakh children from 1,545 schools.
“I am proud to be one of Anna’s younger brothers to have started this scheme on his birth anniversary”, says Stalin.
Benefits of mid-day meal scheme:
- Satisfies classroom hunger
- Increase in the number of students coming to school
- Helps in reducing malnutrition
- Provides work for many men and women
