A Class 3 student in a government school in Madurai used to skip breakfast every morning — her family could not afford it. She often fell asleep in class by 10 AM.
After the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme reached her school — she gets a hot nutritious breakfast every school day. Her attendance improved. Her concentration improved.
The scheme costs the government ₹33.56 crore. The return — thousands of children who stay in school and stay awake.
💡 Quick Answer: Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme Tamil Nadu: Free breakfast for Class 1-5 students in government schools — on all school working days Coverage: 1,14,095 children in 1,545 government schools Official: 👉 tnsocialwelfare.tn.gov.in
What is the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme?
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme (முதலமைச்சர் காலை உணவு திட்டம்) was launched on September 15, 2022 at Madurai by then-CM MK Stalin.
Objective: Provide free nutritious breakfast to primary school students so that:
- No child attends class on an empty stomach
- School attendance improves
- Anemia and malnutrition reduce
- School dropout rates fall
Coverage:
- Class 1 to Class 5 students
- Government schools only (not private or aided schools)
- All school working days
Scale: 1,14,095 children across 1,545 government schools — with planned expansion to all government schools in phases.
What Do Students Get?
Each student receives a hot nutritious breakfast — approximately 50 grams of raw material per child per day converted into a cooked meal.
Sample menu includes:
- Upma with sambar
- Pongal
- Idli with sambar
- Rava khichdi
- Vermicelli upma
- Bread with jam / egg (in select schools)
The menu is designed to meet nutritional requirements and rotated to avoid repetition.
TVK Government — What Changes in 2026?
Under CM Vijay’s TVK government, two related schemes are announced:
1. Breakfast Scheme — Continuing
The CM Breakfast Scheme is expected to continue — as both DMK and TVK had school welfare as a priority.
2. Kamarajar Kalvi Urudhi Thittam — NEW (TVK)
This is different from the breakfast scheme but addresses the same goal — keeping children in school.
What it offers: ₹15,000 per year (approx. ₹1,250/month) to every mother or guardian of Class 1-12 government school students — to cover education-related costs and prevent dropout.
Why it matters: Unlike the breakfast scheme (which provides food at school), this gives cash directly to the family — giving them flexibility to address education costs.
⚡ Status: Kamarajar Kalvi Urudhi Thittam announced in TVK manifesto — official portal not yet launched. Watch tn.gov.in for registration details.
Phase-wise Expansion
The breakfast scheme was designed for phased expansion:
| Phase | Coverage Criteria |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 (Active) | High anemia prevalence (NHFS-5 data), economically backward blocks, tribal areas |
| Phase 2 (planned) | Remaining government schools statewide |
How the Scheme Works — For Schools
No application needed from parents or students.
The school receives:
- Allocated budget from the government
- Ingredients supplied through the scheme
- Cook/helper appointed to prepare breakfast
- Meal served in school before first class begins
Parents do not need to register. Students automatically receive the benefit if they are enrolled in a covered government school.
Official Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Dept | tnsocialwelfare.tn.gov.in |
| myScheme Portal | myscheme.gov.in/schemes/tncmbs |
| Tamil Nadu Government | tn.gov.in |
FAQ
Breakfast scheme ke liye apply karna padta hai? (காலை உணவு திட்டத்திற்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டுமா?) Nahi — parents ya students ko koi application nahi bharni. Government school mein enrolled hone par automatically benefit milta hai.
Kalaignar Breakfast Scheme TVK mein bhi chalegi? Yes — TVK government ne school welfare ko priority diya hai. Scheme continuation expected. Plus new Kamarajar Kalvi Urudhi Thittam (₹15,000/year to mothers) bhi announce kiya hai.
Kamarajar Kalvi Urudhi Thittam apply kaise karein? Portal abhi launch nahi hua. Announced in TVK manifesto. Watch tn.gov.in for official application link.
Private school ke bachche eligible hain? Nahi — sirf government schools ke Class 1-5 students covered hain under breakfast scheme.
Scheme kitne schools mein hai? Currently 1,545 government schools — planned expansion to all TN government schools in phases.