Tamil Nadu Considers Weekly Chicken Biryani for Government School Students

The Tamil Nadu government is considering introducing chicken biryani once a week as an option under the midday meal scheme for students in government schools. School Education Minister Rajmohan recently reiterated that the proposal remains under consideration and described it as a wish of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The minister said the initiative cannot be implemented immediately because large-scale food preparation and distribution would require strict hygiene, food-safety and logistical arrangements. A pilot and testing phase is planned before any wider rollout.

The proposal was first discussed in July, when the government examined the possibility of adding a weekly non-vegetarian meal to the school menu. Rajmohan has said that growing children require adequate protein and that the proposal should not be viewed as a political issue. Students who prefer vegetarian food would continue to receive vegetarian meals, while chicken biryani would be available as an option for students who eat non-vegetarian food. Tamil Nadu also operates a breakfast programme for government school students, and the government is working on expanding and improving the breakfast menu.