Telangana govt expands midday meals to Inter students, rolls out breakfast plan

The state Government on Friday announced the extension of the Midday Meal Scheme to students pursuing Intermediate education in Government Junior Colleges from the next academic year, along with the launch of a breakfast scheme, including milk, for students from nursery to Class 12, aimed at improving nutrition and health outcomes, increasing attendance and punctuality, and reducing dropouts and absenteeism.

Calling it a "new chapter" in education reforms, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the scheme, which has so far been limited to school students, will now cover those pursuing Classes 11 and 12 in government institutions.

In another major initiative, the government announced the rollout of a breakfast scheme for students from pre-primary to Class 12 across the state from the 2026-27 academic year. Under the programme, students will be provided milk three days a week and ragi malt on the remaining three days to ensure better nutrition. The government has allocated 720 crore for the breakfast and milk programme, while around `100 crore has been proposed for the Midday Meal Scheme. An additional `100 crore has been allocated for the modernisation of kitchens in schools and hostels. These allocations form part of the total education budget of `26,674 crore.

Further, in a move aimed at inclusivity, the government will distribute retrofitted motorised vehicles to differently-abled students pursuing Intermediate education, ensuring that physical disability does not hinder access to education.

The initiatives follow repeated recommendations from the Telangana Education Commission and appeals from Government Junior College lecturers. Earlier, a breakfast scheme introduced in 2023 was not fully implemented and was eventually discontinued. TNIE has also written several articles advocating the extension of the Midday Meal Scheme and the introduction of a breakfast scheme.

Welcoming the announcement, Madhusudha Reddy, president of Government Junior College, said, "For nearly a decade, we have been urging the government to extend the Midday Meal Scheme to junior colleges. This decision will significantly improve students' health, attendance and overall academic performance. It will also reduce the burden on working parents. In simple terms, no child will remain hungry."

Telangana Parents Associations also expressed relief over the initiative. "This is a very good decision by the government. Many families struggle to provide proper meals, especially in the mornings. With breakfast and midday meals ensured, we can be confident that our children will focus better on studies," said Lakshmi, a parent of an Intermediate student in a government college.

(The story was written by Meghna Nath)