Hit by fund crunch, TG govt junks CM Breakfast scheme

Hyderabad: The Telangana government scrapped the CM breakfast scheme in all the government schools due to paucity of funds. The previous government introduced the scheme in 2023. However, the Congress government disbanded the scheme. In 2023, the previous government had rolled out the scheme on a pilot basis at a cost of Rs 400 crore which would be benefiting approximately 23 lakh students and also the scheme had began phase wise. Initially, it was launched in 119 government schools with one school in each Assembly constituency and later, it was expanded to 3,500 schools. The government initially planned to extend the scheme to all 27,147 schools across Telangana but was unable to do so. With the formation of the current government, the scheme has been completely scrapped. The contract for the initiative was given to the NGO Manna Trust.

The breakfast menu included idli and sambar, wheat rava upma, puri and aloo kurma, tomato bath, upma, rice rava khichdi, millet idli, pongal, uggani, poha, and millet idli.

Sources indicate that with the change in government, the scheme was discontinued. At the beginning of the current academic year, there was speculation that, like the mid-day meal scheme—where costs are shared by the Central and State governments—the same approach would be applied to the breakfast scheme. However, this did not move forward. The primary reason is the lack of proper fund allocation, which has also contributed to low enrollment in government schools this academic year. According to ASER’s Annual Status of Education Report, Telangana recorded an average school enrollment of 73.5 per cent in 2024, down from 75.5 per cent previously.

A few teachers of government schools pointed out that the students received breakfast till the end of the previous academic year and the scheme got discontinued in the present academic year. “It will be better if the State government resumes the breakfast scheme, as it will help to increase enrollment, as well as the daily attendance,” said a teacher.

On the condition of anonymity, a staff of Manna Trust who deals with mid-day meal scheme, said, “In 2023, we secured a contract from the state government to provide breakfast, starting in phases across three districts—Medchal, Hyderabad, and Rangareddy. The previous government allocated a budget for only five months, after which no further funds were released, leaving around Rs two crore still pending. Since then, we have received no updates on the continuation of the scheme.”

M Ravinder, additional general secretary, Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation, said, “Regarding the breakfast scheme, we have submitted several written pleas to the state government for its resumption, but they have gone unheard. Morning breakfast is essential, yet many government school students skip it for various reasons. The scrapping of this scheme could be one of the factors contributing to the low enrollment in government schools this academic year.”