Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Dr PTR Thiagarajan on Monday, March 20, allocated Rs 500 cr towards the Chief Minister's breakfast scheme for government school students in the state. While tabling the state budget 2023-24 in the assembly, Finance Minister Thiagarajan said that presently, 1.48 lakh students are benefitted in 1,937 schools by the scheme, as stated in a report by IANS.

Sharing more, he said, since it has resulted in increased attendance in schools, the scheme will now be extended to all the government primary schools of the state. Further, he said that 18 lakh students will be benefitted by extending the scheme to all primary schools.

Additionally, in the budget speech, the state finance minister said M Karunanidhi memorial multi-super speciality hospital in Guindy will be unveiled this year. A library named 'Kalaignar Nootrandu Noolagam' will be established in June with world-class facilities for students, including the differently-abled.

Also, schools that are presently functioning under the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department, BC, MBC, Minority welfare department, and HR&CE department will be brought under the school education department and merged, he added. 

According to the finance minister, the budget allocated for the school education department is Rs 40,299 crore and an amount of Rs 6,967 crore for the Higher education department, as stated in a report by IANS.