Chennai, Sep 15 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday inaugurated the free breakfast scheme for the government school students of Classes 1 to 5 at Madurai.

The Chief Minister in his inaugural speech said that in the first phase 1.16 lakh students will be provided free breakfast. Stalin said, "This will be further expanded. No one should think that this is a freebie. It's the duty of the government to do this." He said that no poor and underprivileged student should drop out of school for the need of food.

The Tamil Nadu government has chosen September 15 for inaugurating the scheme as this is the birthday of the DMK founder leader and former Chief Minister, Late C.N. Annadurai.

In the first phase, the free breakfast scheme will be implemented in 1,545 schools. The free breakfast includes Pongal, Kichdi, Upma and on Fridays a sweet will be provided in addition to the regular breakfast which is either rava kesari or semya kesari.

A total of 417 schools located in Municipal corporations, 163 schools in municipalities, 728 schools in village panchayats and 237 schools in interiors of the state and hilly areas will be covered under the first phase of the scheme.