Chennai, Mar 20 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Finance minister Dr P.T.R. Thiagarajan on Monday allocated Rs 500 crore towards the Chief Minister's breakfast scheme for government school students in the state.

While tabling the state budget 2023-24 in the Assembly, Finance Minister Thiagarajan said that presently, 1.48 lakh students are benefitted in 1,937 schools by the scheme.

Since it has resulted in increased attendance in schools, the scheme will now be  extended in all the government primary schools of the state. He said that 18 lakh students will be benefitted by extending the scheme to all primary schools.

In the budget speech, the state finance minister said that M. Karunanidhi memorial multi-super specialty hospital in Guindy will be unveiled this year. A library named 'Kalaignar Nootrandu Noolagam' will be established in June with world class facilities for students, including the differently-abled.

Schools that are presently functioning under the Adi Dravidar Welfare department, BC, MBC, Minority welfare department, HR&CE department will be brought under the school education department and merged.

The budget, according to the finance minister, allocated Rs 40,299 crore for the school education department and an amount of Rs 6,967 crore for the Higher education department.