📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Michael Gäbler
Education
Tamil Nadu to serve chicken biryani in schools under CM Vijay's mid‑day meal push
✍️ India Today
🗓 19 Sep 2026, 04:36 AM
👁 9
The state government announced that chicken biryani will be added to the mid‑day meal menu for schoolchildren, fulfilling Chief Minister Vijay's wish.
The Tamil Nadu government said it will introduce chicken biryani as part of the mid‑day meal programme for schoolchildren. The announcement was made by a senior minister who said the move aligns with the wish expressed by Chief Minister Vijay to enrich the nutritional content of school meals.
Under the existing scheme, meals are prepared centrally and distributed to thousands of schools across the state. Adding a protein‑rich dish such as chicken biryani is intended to address concerns about child nutrition and to encourage higher attendance.
Implementation will begin in the upcoming academic term, with pilot kitchens in selected districts preparing the new menu item. Officials said the supply chain for poultry and rice has been secured and that the cost will be absorbed within the existing budget for the mid‑day meal scheme.
The decision has drawn attention from parents and education activists, many of whom view the inclusion of a non‑vegetarian option as a positive step toward balanced diets for students.
Under the existing scheme, meals are prepared centrally and distributed to thousands of schools across the state. Adding a protein‑rich dish such as chicken biryani is intended to address concerns about child nutrition and to encourage higher attendance.
Implementation will begin in the upcoming academic term, with pilot kitchens in selected districts preparing the new menu item. Officials said the supply chain for poultry and rice has been secured and that the cost will be absorbed within the existing budget for the mid‑day meal scheme.
The decision has drawn attention from parents and education activists, many of whom view the inclusion of a non‑vegetarian option as a positive step toward balanced diets for students.