CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (September 22) expanded the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme to students of Classes 6 to 8 in government and government-aided schools, bringing an additional 15.30 lakh students under the programme.

Vijay launched the expanded scheme at the Chennai Middle School in Thiruvanmiyur and had breakfast with the students.

The expansion will cover 7,537 additional government and government-aided schools across Tamil Nadu and entails an additional allocation of Rs 217.63 crore in the current financial year. With the expansion, the scheme will benefit around 34.64 lakh students studying in Classes 1 to 8 in 44,984 schools. The total allocation for the scheme has been fixed at Rs 724 crore.

At the Thiruvanmiyur school, 199 students from Classes 1 to 5 were already benefiting from the scheme. Another 127 students from Classes 6 to 8 will now be covered following the expansion.

The government said the expansion was aimed at improving the nutritional status of schoolchildren, ensuring that they attend classes without hunger and enabling them to concentrate better on their studies.

In Chennai, breakfast will be prepared through integrated kitchens operated by the Greater Chennai Corporation. In other urban areas, the Directorate of Municipal Administration will oversee the arrangements. In rural areas and adjoining town panchayats, self-help group members will prepare breakfast at schools through the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women.

The government said the expanded scheme would strengthen students’ health, nutrition, attendance and learning, besides reinforcing the foundation of school education.