New govt schools enrollees to get benefits of noon-meal from day 1

At present, newly admitted students received the benefited of the noon-meal scheme only during the month of December as school management usually takes nearly six months after school reopening, to generate the beneficiaries list.

Tamil Nadu government has taken an initiative to extend the noon meal scheme for the newly admitted students in the State-run schools on the joining day itself. At present, newly admitted students received the benefited of the noon-meal scheme only during the month of December as school management usually takes nearly six months after school reopening, to generate the beneficiaries list.

A senior official from the Social Welfare Department told DT Next that about 50,000 students studying in government schools across the state were benefited every year. “However, there were complaints that the newly admitted children did not receive the benefits of the noon-meal scheme immediately after the school reopens and the academic year commences,” he added.

Stating that the interruption in providing noon-meal is due to the delay of the school management in preparing the list of beneficiaries, he said, “Therefore, the newly admitted children could not be benefited by the scheme immediately.”

The official said that following the request from parents, it has been decided to provide food for the students from the day of school reopening. “We have sent circular to all the schools to prepare the beneficiaries list before the reopening of the school so that all the students will get food from the day one,” he added.

Pointing out that the State government allocates Rs 1,700 crore for the noon-meal scheme every year, the official said that a toll free number would be provided for the parents to lodge complains if any grievance arises regarding the implementation of noon meal scheme.

Every year, under the noon meal scheme, primary school children in the age group of 5-9 years and upper primary school children in the age group of 10-15 years are provided with nutritious meals inside the school premises for five working days in the week, for a total of 220 days in a year.