Pongal to replace upma in CM's Breakfast Scheme for school students in TN
The CM's Breakfast Scheme, launched on September 15, 2022, was subsequently expanded in phases.;
State social welfare minister Geetha Jeevan
CHENNAI: Among the popular picante foods of South Indian cuisine, one of the spiciest in the global culinary rankings, 'rice upma' would certainly rank among the most boring recipes on the menu.
From the budget eatery in the neighbourhood to the most luxurious gourmet choices in the city and the authentic preparation at one's kitchen, the easy and quick to cook ‘rice upma’ might perhaps rank among the least sought after choices even for a quick breakfast or early evening snack for many.
Probably realising the banality of the recipe, the State Social Welfare Department has finally decided to strike it off its menu in the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme (CMBFS), one of the pioneering schemes of incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin launched on September 15, 2022.
Replying to a debate on the demand for grants for her department in the State Assembly, State Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan on Wednesday announced that rice upma would be replaced with pongal and sambar from the next academic year. Going by the announcement, the roughly 17.35 lakh eligible students of Tamil Nadu schools receiving breakfast under the scheme would not have to go through the ordeal of eating the rice upma once every week regularly.
As on date, the five-day menu has three choices, upma (Mondays and Thursdays), khichadi (Tuesdays and Fridays) and pongal varieties (Wednesdays) in any given week. While all three recipes are provided in rice and rava combinations, upma and khichadi are provided in wheat rava and semiya combinations as well.
Provided at a whopping 34,987 schools, the CMBFS has contributed significantly to addressing the nutritional concerns of students. A study on the efficacy of CMBFS by the State Planning Commission revealed that the scheme led to 63.2% decline in hospital admissions among primary class children in government schools and a 70.6% reduction in serious illnesses between December 2023 and December 2024.
A budget provision of Rs 600.25 crore has been made for the scheme in the 2025-26 fiscal for implementation to all government primary school children and government aided primary schoolchildren in rural areas.