Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday (August 26, 2025) assured his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin that he would consider by Wednesday (August 27) the implementation of Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in Punjab after consulting with his Cabinet.
Mr. Mann was the chief guest at the function in which Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to students in Government-aided primary schools in urban areas across Tamil Nadu. Mr. Mann took part in the function at St. Joseph’s Primary School in Mylapore, Chennai.
Mr. Mann congratulated Mr. Stalin for the expansion of the programme. Though the noon meal programme was a good idea, working women had to wake up at least two hours earlier to prepare breakfast for the school-going children. He appreciated the breakfast programme in ensuring education and nutrition to students.
Hailing Mr. Stalin’s leadership, Mr. Mann called Mr. Stalin a “people’s leader” with whom people were eager to shake hands with.
Terming Mr. Mann his friend, Mr. Stalin recalled that then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the chief guest for the launch of Pudhumai Penn programme.
Recalling his visit to a school in Ashok Nagar in Chennai where he found many students didn’t have breakfast, Mr. Stalin said it was then he decided to launch the programme to provide breakfast for students. On the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai on September 15, he launched the programme in Madurai district in 2022.
“It is not an expense but it is a social investment,” Mr. Stalin said and called upon students to excel in their studies. He said he has been closely monitoring the implementation of the programme. The outcome of the programme has been positive among students and in classrooms. Mr. Stalin thanked those who cooked food for students under the Chief Minister breakfast scheme.
Students taking breakfast during the expansion of Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in State-aided primary schools in urban areas at St.Marys primary school in Vellore on August 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
C. Venkatachalapathy
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said the bond between Tamil Nadu and Punjab has endured for a long time. The Chief Minister breakfast scheme has helped bridge the gap between the disadvantaged and privileged students, he said.
Director of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation Soumya Swaminathan hailed the policies of the Tamil Nadu government saying they were science-based and evidence-based policies. The breakfast scheme had many advantages for the society nutrition and health of students. The programme has led to cognitive and learning improvements of the students which was also found in many studies, she said. Millets twice a week and introduction of vegetables enriched the nutrition to students under the programme. Ms. Swaminathan further suggested to include moringa leaf powder in the programme.
Recalling the launching of HPV vaccine drive in Bathinda and Mansa districts in Punjab in 2016, Ms. Swaminathan also pointed out the Tamil Nadu government was the first large State in the country that announced to provide HPV vaccination to all girls aged 14 years to prevent cervical cancer.
School children tasting breakfast during the expansion of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in State-aided primary schools in urban areas in Tirunelveli on August 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
A. Shaikmohideen
Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P. Geetha Jeevan, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P.K. Sekarbabu, Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam participated.
The expansion of the programme to State-aided schools in urban schools, is expected to benefit about 3.05 lakh more students. So far, the programme was implemented in government-run primary schools across the State and State-aided primary schools located only in rural areas.
In 2022, Mr. Stalin announced the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in the Assembly. In September that year, he launched the programme in Madurai on a pilot basis. In March 2023, the programme was expanded to government primary schools in corporation and municipality areas. In August that year, it was expanded to all government primary schools in the State.
In July 2024, the programme was further expanded to all government-aided primary schools in rural areas. As of February this year, about 17.53 lakh students in 34,987 schools benefitted from the programme.
The Tamil Nadu government earmarked a sum of ₹600.25 crore for the programme for 2025-26. It has yielded positive outcomes: increase in attendance, enhanced attention span, and reduction in morbidity rates in primary school-going children.
It also led to a 63.2% decline in hospital admissions among children in primary classes in government schools and a 70.6% reduction in serious illnesses, between December 2023 and December 2024.
The State Planning Commission, during an evaluation of the programme, found that it improved eating behaviour in children, fostered positive habits, increased socialisation with other children, showed perceived improvement in the child’s health, increased willingness to go to school, and showed improvement in studies and engagement in class.
Published – August 26, 2025 10:43 am IST
