The Tamil Nadu government has renamed its flagship Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme as the ‘Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme’, according to a government order issued on Wednesday.
The Congress, an ally of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), welcomed the move, calling it a fitting tribute to former Congress stalwart K Kamaraj.
The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme was initially launched for 1,14,095 students studying in Classes 1 to 5 in government primary schools. It was later expanded to cover students in urban areas, including corporations, municipalities and town panchayats.
The scheme currently benefits 19,34,230 students studying in 37,447 government and government-aided primary schools across the state.
At a review meeting chaired by chief minister C Joseph Vijay in June, officials were directed to extend the scheme to students in Classes 6 to 8 from September 17, coinciding with the birth anniversary of social reformer Thanthai Periyar (E V Ramasamy).
Accordingly, the Social Welfare Department proposed extending the scheme to another 15,14,274 students in Classes 6 to 8 studying in 15,454 government and government-aided schools.
The department also sought financial approval of ₹268.72 crore, including ₹240.01 crore towards recurring expenditure and ₹28.71 crore for non-recurring expenditure.
{{/usCountry}}The department also sought financial approval of ₹268.72 crore, including ₹240.01 crore towards recurring expenditure and ₹28.71 crore for non-recurring expenditure.
{{/usCountry}}After examining the proposal, the government approved renaming the scheme as the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme and sanctioned an estimated annual expenditure of ₹343.55 crore, calculated at ₹12.71 per student per day for 210 working days, based on attendance.
For the current financial year, the government has sanctioned ₹217.63 crore for implementing the scheme.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president B Manickam Tagore welcomed the decision.
“Heartfelt thanks to the chief minister for naming the breakfast scheme after Perunthalaivar Kamarajar.”
“This is a fitting tribute to the great leader who strove tirelessly for the cause of education,” the Congress MP said in a social media post.
K Kamaraj, former chief minister of the erstwhile Madras State and former president of the Indian National Congress, was born on July 15, 1903, and died on October 2, 1975.
The Congress, which won five Assembly seats in the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, entered into a post-poll alliance with the ruling TVK. The party now has two ministers in the Vijay-led cabinet, its first representation in the state cabinet in 59 years.