Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday (June 15) announced a major expansion of the state’s flagship Free Breakfast Scheme, extending its coverage to students studying in classes six to eight in government schools across the state from September 17.

The date chosen for the rollout coincides with the birth anniversary of social reformer E.V. Ramasamy Periyar, who is regarded as one of the five ideological icons of the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).

According to a Deccan Herald report, the expansion is expected to bring around 15 lakh more students under the programme, taking the total number of beneficiaries to nearly 45 lakh children.

The announcement was made during a review meeting of the Social Welfare Department.

“To expand the chief minister’s Breakfast Scheme, instructions were issued to take steps to launch the first phase on September 17,” an official release stated.

The decision is significant because the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had promised to widen the scope of the scheme beyond classes one to five in its manifesto ahead of the previous Assembly elections.

Launched by the DMK government in 2022, the breakfast programme currently provides dishes such as upma, kichadi and pongal on weekdays, while Fridays include sweet items like rava kesari or semiya kesari. Millets sourced locally are incorporated into the menu at least twice a week.

According to officials cited by Deccan Herald, the government spends more than Rs 13 per child per breakfast, and nearly 30 lakh students currently benefit from the scheme every day.

The programme has also drawn attention from other states. During a visit to Tamil Nadu last August, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann praised the initiative and personally served breakfast to students in government schools.

Describing it as an effective measure to curb school dropouts and improve children's nutrition, Mann had said he would examine the possibility of introducing a similar model in Punjab.