Evaluation to be taken up to decide on further expansion of Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme, State tells HC

Taking into account that the State government has proposed to take up an evaluation to decide on further expansion of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast scheme, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday disposed of a petition that sought a direction to the State government to extend the scheme to government-aided schools in 15 coastal villages in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari districts.

The court was hearing the public interest litigation petition filed by A. Brazil of Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district. The petitioner, a fisherman, said that the noon meal scheme was introduced with the objective to increase the enrolment of students from disadvantaged communities. The Chief Minister’s Breakfast scheme was launched with the same objective.

However, the children from the coastal areas were not benefiting from the scheme as most of the schools in these districts were government-aided schools. The fisher folk start their day early and return home only late in the evening. Their children will benefit if the scheme is extended to the government-aided schools. This would also help reduce the school dropout rate, he said.

The petitioner said that there was no difference between the government schools and the government-aided schools in terms of syllabus, distribution of notebooks, conducting examinations and payment of salaries to teachers and other staff.

The State, on instructions from the Commissioner of Social Welfare, informed a Division Bench of Justices M. Sundar and R. Sakthivel, that the evaluation was proposed to be taken up through the Evaluation and Applied Research Department and based on the findings and financial implications, the government would take a decision on further expansion.

Taking note of the submission, the court observed that an evaluation was on the way and a decision would be taken based on the same. The coastal villages would also be part of the evaluation. Since the plea of the petitioner was addressed, the court disposed of the petition as closed.