The Greater Chennai Corporation has decided to allow The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF) to serve breakfast to the students out of the later’s pocket.

According to a corporation official, the decision was taken after the TAPF requested Chennai Corporation for permission to operate their free meal programme in Chennai schools. The Akshaya Patra Foundation, whose headquarter is in Bengaluru, runs such programmes in several cities across India. “The TAPF will serve breakfast to the students in 23 schools run by the civic body located in Adyar, Tiruvanmiyur and Velachery,” the official said.

The organisation usually serves free lunch to other partner schools but the corporation asked it to serve breakfast to these schools instead as the civic body already gives the students free lunch under the government’s Mid-Day Meal Programme.

The official added that TAPF would prepare breakfast in its centralised kitchen and supply it to schools before classes start. “Akshaya Patra will build its kitchen in Tiruvanmiyur and buy vehicles worth Rs 2 crore to transport the food. All the expenses will be borne by the foundation,” the official said. Each plate of breakfast will cost TAPF Rs 12.50, he added but refused to share the menu citing that it has not been finalised yet.