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The Tamil Nadu government has granted administrative sanction for a total of ₹186 crore, which will go towards providing food for around 29,400 conservancy workers in the Greater Chennai Corporation, for a period of three years.
About 22,800 workers who are on the shift between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. will be provided lunch between 1.30 p.m. and 2 p.m., while over 5,100 workers on the shift between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be served breakfast between 5.30 a.m. and 6 a.m.
More than 1,400 workers on the shift between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. will be served dinner between 9.30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
In total, more than 29,400 will be provided one meal during their eight-hour shift. Food is to be served in over 500 locations across the city.
The cost of lunch for one person, including transport, service and GST, is estimated to be ₹57.75. For breakfast and dinner, it is estimated to be ₹47.25 and ₹42 respectively.
Funds for the initiative will be allocated from the Sixth State Finance Commission.
As per the general guidelines issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, food is to be prepared in kitchens certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Following the dramatic eviction of conservancy workers staging a protest at the Ripon Buildings, a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet on August 14 approved six proposals aimed at the welfare of conservancy workers in the State. One of them was to provide free breakfast to them.
Among the other proposals approved by the State Cabinet are medical treatment, housing, increased solatium, subsidy for entrepreneurship, and educational assistance for children of conservancy workers.
Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu had announced that the free breakfast programme for conservancy workers would be rolled out in areas under the Chennai Corporation initially, and expanded to other urban local bodies in phases.
Published – October 24, 2025 12:37 am IST
