Free breakfast scheme: Social Welfare Secy writes to Collectors

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Department on Monday wrote to Chennai Corporation Commissioner and Collectors of all districts to make arrangements for the implementation of the free breakfast scheme in the government schools in the State from Friday.

Chief Minister M K Stalin will launch the free breakfast scheme in Madurai on September 15.

In his September 12 dated letter, Shambhu Kallolikar, principal secretary of the state social welfare department said that the Collectors must select one school in each Corporation, Municipality, Panchayat and hilly area from the list of schools shortlisted as per GO no 43 of the department and launch the scheme with the ministers and elected people’s representatives, there on September 16.

The Social Welfare Secretary also advised the Collectors of Tiruchy, Cuddalore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Karur to pick a rural school, while asking Tirupur and Virudhunagar and Erode districts to give priority to a rural/hill school. The Collectors have also been exhorted to ensure that the CM’s Breakfast Scheme is launched in other eligible schools with civic heads and representatives besides school management committee members.

The secretary has also instructed the Collectors to appoint their PAs in the rank of assistant director and Revenue Divisional Officers as coordinating officers to make arrangements for the inauguration and ensure further smooth implementation of the scheme. PAs of all Collectors have been asked to send a report of the efforts made to implement the scheme to the director of the social welfare department.