Demand rises for breakfast scheme in government primary schools in Coimbatore district

The State is yet to issue orders on implementing this scheme in all schools across the district, says Chandrapriya Sundararaman, District Project Officer for noon meal programme

The Chief Minister’s Free Breakfast Scheme for Classes I to V was flagged off in Coimbatore district on September 16 this year. | Photo Credit: File Photo

With the demand for free breakfast scheme in all the government primary schools across the district rising, the authorities here say that they are awaiting State’s approval.

The breakfast scheme for Classes I to V was flagged off in the district on September 16 in 74 schools — 62 in the Coimbatore corporation, nine in Mettupalayam Municipality, and three in Madukkarai, and 77 schools in the Kundadam block of Tiruppur district. Social Welfare Department officials earlier said that the State would consider starting the scheme in all government schools after a 100-day trial. This period ended on December 25. According to a report by The Hindu recently, the Department officials said a 10% to 30% increase in attendance was reported in all the schools where the scheme was implemented.

Activist A.K. Periyar Mani said roughly 50 students from the Below Poverty Line families at Immidipalayam, in Kinathukadavu block study in the Panchayat Union Primary School at Devaradipalayam and Kinathukadavu Panchayat Union Primary School. “Their fathers leave for daily wage work at 6 a.m. and mothers by 8 a.m. The children do not have access to healthy breakfast. If the State carries out the scheme in such areas, it would greatly benefit the children,” he said.

“The State is yet to issue orders on implementing this scheme in all schools across the district. Once we receive the orders, we will take necessary measures immediately,” said Chandrapriya Sundararaman, the District Project Officer for noon meal programme, Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment .

Corporation Commissioner M. Prathap said they have requested the Department of School Education to implement the project in all 84 corporation schools in the city. 

According to the sources, the State has requested a survey of schools in the district to assess the feasibility of project implementation, such as food preparation area, student strength, infrastructure etc. After scrutinising these parameters, the State might announce all eligible primary schools, the sources added.