'Weekly Chicken Biryani in Mid-Day Meals': Tamil Nadu Government Reviews Landmark Proposal for School Nutrition
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is actively examining a groundbreaking proposal to introduce chicken biryani once a week into the state’s flagship Mid-Day Meal Scheme for government school students. Submitted by School Education Minister A. Rajmohan, the formal proposal is currently under official review by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. If approved, Tamil Nadu will become the first state in South India to include chicken biryani in its school nutrition program, marking one of the most significant upgrades to the welfare initiative in recent decades.
Key highlights and administrative dimensions of the proposal include:
* Continuation of Historic Welfare Legacy: Presenting the initiative, School Education Minister Rajmohan emphasized Tamil Nadu's long tradition of leading school feeding programs across India. He highlighted how successive political eras—from Kamaraj introducing the midday meal to Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran, and Jayalalithaa expanding nutritious meal elements and egg distribution—continually enhanced student health. Rajmohan noted that adding weekly chicken biryani represents the next logical evolution to boost school attendance, reduce dropouts, and tackle childhood malnutrition.
* Revamp of Breakfast Menu: Parallel to the biryani proposal, the state government is planning a comprehensive overhaul of the primary school breakfast menu. Citing the current budget allocation of approximately ₹15 per student, the education ministry aims to move away from repetitive items like wheat and rava upma toward more appetizing and protein-dense alternatives.
* Administrative & Financial Considerations: While the proposal has generated widespread enthusiasm among student communities, policy experts and officials are evaluating the financial outlay required to scale chicken biryani distribution across thousands of public schools. Questions regarding alternative menu choices for vegetarian students and maintaining strict hygiene standards during large-scale food preparation are also being considered as part of the Chief Minister's review process.
The Chief Minister's office is expected to finalize its decision following detailed inter-departmental consultations on budgetary allocations and logistics. The move reinforces Tamil Nadu's position as a pioneering state in designing comprehensive social welfare and child welfare schemes.