Under the policy, six groups of disadvantaged pupils, including those from low-income and ethnic minority families and children with disabilities, will receive VND 40,000 (USD 1.53) per day, up from VND 30,000.
All other primary school pupils in the city, except those attending foreign-invested schools, will receive VND 28,000 (USD 1.07) per day, an increase of VND 8,000.
Parents will pay any difference if schools and families agree on meal costs above the subsidy level.
The policy will take effect from the 2026-2027 academic year and apply to the actual number of school lunch days, up to a maximum of nine months each academic year.
Funding will come from the state budget and be allocated through schools.
City officials estimate the policy will benefit more than 650,000 primary school pupils and require around VND 18 trillion (USD 688 million) between 2026 and 2031.