Tamil Nadu govt renames CM breakfast scheme after late congress leader K Kamaraj, expands it to Classes 6-8

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has renamed the previous DMK regime's programme of the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme after late Congress leader K Kamaraj, as Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme to honour the late Chief Minister. Kamaraj, celebrated as the leader who revolutionised the state's education sector, had introduced the mid-day meal programme for schools in 1956 to combat poverty and encourage school enrollment.

Later, former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran transformed the scheme as Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Programme in 1982. Late Chief Ministers - M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa - had improved upon the nutrition aspects of the scheme over the years. The previous DMK government under M K Stalin had launched its signature programme of the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme in 2022, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Kamaraj on July 15 targeting the students of Class 1 to 5.

Aiming to restore the credit and to duly honour the Congress Chief Minister who took the initiative to address the problems of the school children, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had on July 15 issued an order renaming the scheme as Perunthalaivar Kamarjar Breakfast Scheme and also announced expanding the programme to cover the students of Class 6 to 8 for the government and aided schools across the state. It will cover the newly added classes from September 17, marking the birth anniversary of social reformer Periyar Ramasamy.

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The expansion would include 15.14 lakh middle school students, bringing the state's total beneficiaries to 35 lakhs. The government has approved an additional expenditure of Rs 343.55 crore, sanctioning Rs 217.63 crores for the current financial year to roll out the extended phase. The scheme operates across 37,447 schools in the state and the children are provided nutritious breakfast like Upma, Kichadi or Pongal on weekdays and it includes sweet dish Rava Kesari on Fridays.

Locally sourced millet-based breakfast helps to address the nutrition disorders providing about 293 calories, 9.85 grams of protein besides iron and calcium, an official said. Criticising the government move, DMK leader Duraimurugan said the scheme was originally established as an initiative reflecting the actions of the Chief Minister in common, but not specifically named after any leader. "Nothing wrong in renaming it after Kamaraj. The scheme could mean any Chief Minister including him (Vijay). But the current administration's trend of renaming existing schemes showed its "inability to introduce new, innovative projects."

When the DMK was in power it had not changed the name of 'Amma Unavagam' (Amma Canteens) merely because it was named after its political rival, Duraimurugan told reporters in Vellore and cited an instance from the life of M Karunanidhi who ignored political criticism and moved on, stressing how Chief Ministers or political leaders should be "magnanimous" in tolerating criticism or accepting the government schemes introduced by the predecessors.

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"When K Krishnasamy, while leaving the MGR camp, made provocative statements against Karunanidhi, including issuing a threat, instead of reacting to the provocation, Karunanidhi chose to ignore, dismissing it as trivial. Political personalities should show similar restraint and magnanimity when dealing with criticism today, rather than resorting to arrests," he remarked, referring to the arrest of two DMK legislators for their defamatory remarks against Vijay. Changing the names and re-branding welfare schemes was a sign of a lack of political magnanimity, he argued.