Chicken biryani for school lunch? Tamil Nadu CM considers new mid-day meal plan
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is examining a proposal to serve chicken biryani once a week to students in government schools as part of the state’s Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
School Education Minister Rajmohan has suggested the idea to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, saying the move could be another step in improving the nutritional value and appeal of school meals. A final decision on the proposal has not yet been announced.
Proposal to expand school nutrition programme
Rajmohan said Tamil Nadu’s school meal programme has been strengthened by successive governments over the years. He referred to earlier expansions of the scheme, including the introduction of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by former Chief Minister K Kamarajar, the addition of eggs during later administrations and further expansion of nutrition programmes.
The minister said he also wants to contribute to the evolution of the scheme by introducing chicken biryani once a week for government school students.
Tamil Nadu’s history with school meals
Tamil Nadu has been known for its focus on school nutrition programmes. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme, introduced in the state in the 1950s, became one of India's most recognised welfare initiatives aimed at improving child nutrition and encouraging school attendance.
Over the years, the programme has expanded to include additional nutritional items. In 2022, the state government launched the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme for primary school students, providing morning meals alongside the existing Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
Plans to improve breakfast menu
Apart from the chicken biryani proposal, the School Education Minister also spoke about improving the existing breakfast menu.
He said the government is looking at replacing repetitive food items such as wheat and rava upma with more nutritious and appealing alternatives. The current allocation for breakfast is around Rs 15 per student.
If approved, the chicken biryani proposal would become one of the biggest changes to Tamil Nadu’s school meal menu in recent years and would continue the state’s efforts to strengthen nutrition support for students.