Boiled eggs, bananas in student meals

CHENNAI - Boiled eggs and bananas will now be provided to Tamil Nadu school students during midday meals on all working days a week, it was announced Friday.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi signed the order that will benefit around 5.7 million students across the state. It will cost the government an additional Rs.125 crore.

Until now, these were provided only three days a week — the vegetarians getting a banana and others a boiled egg.

Tamil Nadu was the first state to introduce the midday meal scheme in government schools in a bid to promote attendance of children from poorer families.

Over the years, the scheme has been adopted by all states following a Supreme Court directive.