The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme is a trailblazing effort in keeping intact the Dravidian movement’s ideology that poverty or caste must not be an obstacle to one’s education, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has said.

Speaking at the launch of the scheme at Adhimoolam Corporation Primary School on Thursday, he said inaugurating the scheme at the school located at Keela Anna Thoppu was like a fitting tribute to former Chief Minister and DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, who first stressed the need to provide food at affordable rates to the poor, on his 114th birth anniversary.

The scheme is jointly implemented by different departments, including School Education, Social Welfare, and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

Earlier, Mr. Stalin flagged off food distribution vehicles from the kitchen at Nelpettai. Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said the scheme was a boon for many working mothers who might not have sufficient time in the morning to cook food.

Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P. Geetha Jeevan said the scheme would boost students’ attendance at schools.

Three kitchens to prepare breakfast would function at Singarayar Colony, Nelpettai, and Subramaniapuram Corporation Primary School, said Chief Educational Officer K. Karthika. The food would be distributed to 26 Corporation primary schools to feed 4,136 students in the first phase.

P. Rakesh Sharma, a Class I student who had his first meal of the day alongside the Chief Minister, said the food was tasty.

For M. Sridiya, a Class II student, the rava kesari served as part of the menu was her favorite.

The food prepared in the three kitchens was expected to reach the schools by 7:45 a.m. Members of the School Management Committee had volunteered to serve the food, said M.R. Uma, Headmistress of Adhimoolam Corporation Primary School.

M. Periyasamy, Headmaster (in-charge) of Panchayat Union Primary School at Vellalur in Melur block, said many schools should be covered under the scheme soon.