Tamil Nadu’s expansion of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme to students up to Class 8 has triggered a funding dispute after PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss alleged that school headmasters were being asked to pay for basic preparations from their own pockets.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Ramadoss criticised the School Education Department over directions allegedly issued through circulars from District Educational Officers. He claimed that headmasters had been asked to arrange infrastructure and equipment needed for the scheme’s expansion without receiving separate financial support from the government.
According to the allegations, schools must install new nameboards mounted on steel frames, address deficiencies in kitchens and storage areas, and arrange drinking water, lighting and utensils, including plates and glasses for students. The estimated cost of these requirements is between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 per school, depending on student strength, he said.
The expansion is scheduled for September 17. The breakfast scheme was originally launched for students in Classes 1 to 5 in government primary schools in September 2022. It was later extended to government-aided schools in August 2023. The proposed extension to Class 8 will increase the number of students and schools requiring the necessary kitchen, storage, water and serving arrangements.
Ramadoss alleged that the government had allocated hundreds of crores for the breakfast programme but had not provided funds for the initial setup requirements. He described the reported direction to headmasters as unjust and unmanageable, particularly where schools lack basic facilities or equipment needed to serve meals.
The PMK leader also warned that placing operational costs on school administrators could create risks for institutional accountability. He compared the alleged funding arrangement with problems at direct procurement centres and state-run liquor outlets, where he said inadequate government support for basic operations had contributed to corruption.
Ramadoss demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circulars and called on the state government to directly finance the initial costs of expansion, including utensils and signage. The report did not include a response from the School Education Department or clarification from the state government on whether funds had been sanctioned for the preparatory work.
