Telangana Launches Breakfast Scheme for 29 Lakh Government School Students

As schools across Telangana reopened after the summer vacation, the state government formally launched its ambitious Breakfast Scheme for students in government educational institutions. The programme was inaugurated by Hyderabad In-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar at the Raj Bhavan Government High School in Hyderabad, where he also distributed textbooks and notebooks to students.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the initiative would cover nearly 29 lakh students studying in government institutions from pre-primary to Intermediate level across the state. The scheme is intended to ensure that children begin their school day with a nutritious meal, helping address issues such as classroom hunger, malnutrition and poor attendance.

According to Ponnam Prabhakar , the government expects the programme to improve students’ concentration levels, academic performance and overall well-being while also reducing dropout rates. He noted that access to proper nutrition is closely linked to learning outcomes, making the initiative a key component of the state's education and welfare agenda.

The government has allocated Rs 540 crore annually for implementing the breakfast programme and an additional Rs 180 crore for milk supply, taking the total annual expenditure to Rs 720 crore . The investment reflects Telangana's efforts to strengthen public education through a combination of nutritional support and academic assistance.

The minister also highlighted the ongoing “Badi Bata” enrolment drive , being conducted across the state to encourage admissions in government schools. Special attention, he said, is being given to identifying children who have discontinued their education and bringing them back into the school system.

In Hyderabad district alone, 93,501 students are enrolled in 672 government schools . As part of the initial phase, the Breakfast Scheme will be implemented in 45 selected schools , benefiting 12,437 students . The programme in these institutions will be operated under the supervision of the Manna Trust .

Officials believe the initiative will not only improve nutritional standards among students but also enhance the appeal of government schools, supporting the state's broader goal of increasing enrolment and ensuring better educational outcomes.

Among those present at the launch were MLAs Danam Nagender and Yashaswini Reddy , Hyderabad District Collector Priyanka Ala , District Education Officer Yadaiah , Manna Trust CEO Leena Joseph , and other senior officials.