The Tamil Nadu government is all set to roll out the breakfast scheme for state-run school children from Classes 1 to 5 and an order has been signed by him for its implementation, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced here on Wednesday.
Addressing students at the inaugural of an awareness programme on mental and physical well-being of school students, Stalin said that during his interaction - just before his address - with five students of a class, he got to know that three of them had not eaten anything in the morning.
The Chief Minister, quoting expert advice, said morning food must never be skipped. Taking into account that children had to rush to their schools in the morning, the state government is all set to launch the breakfast scheme in state-run schools for children studying between Classes 1 and 5, Stalin said.
"Yesterday, I have signed the Government Order (for rolling out the scheme) and I would like to convey this happy news to the Tamil Nadu people through you," the Chief Minister said.
He traced the origin of noon meal scheme during the times of Justice Party leader Sir Pitti Thiagarayar (1852-1925) in a Chennai corporation-run school. During the regimes of leaders K Kamaraj, M Karunanidhi and M G Ramachandran the scheme witnessed development, he said.
The noon meal scheme saw improvements and it evolved into the nutritious meal scheme. The food scheme for school children is set to move up to the next level now in his party-led government's tenure, the Chief Minister said.
Stalin spoke on the importance of self-confidence among school children, which is the objective behind the awareness workshop. He underlined the significance of mental and physical well-being for all-round development of students.
The Chief Minister presided over the awareness event at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, a reputed state-run institution at Ashok Nagar here. Stalin flagged off vehicles tasked with spreading awareness on mental and physical well-being among school children.
-With PTI Input
