Raipur, (Chattishgarh), 4th January 2023: With an aim to promote the Millet Mission, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel organized a special lunch where millet dishes were served to all the Ministers and legislators at the Vidhansabha here today.
A wide variety of millet dishes including ragi-pakoras, kodo-bhajiya, kutki-ke-farre, and ragi halwa were served during the special lunch, which was highly appreciated by the Chief Minister and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Dr. Charan Das Mahant. The Ministers and the legislators also relished the delicious taste of millet dishes served on their platters.
During the lunch, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that on the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Millet Cafe will also be opened in the Mantralaya soon. The Central Government has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets and the Government of Chhattisgarh has also taken a new initiative in Millets Year 2023 to boost millet production in the state.
Since millet is produced in large quantities in Chhattisgarh, the state government has declared the support price of ‘Kodo Kutki’ at Rs. 3,000 per quintal and that of Ragi as Rs.3,377 per quintal.
Millets included in mid-day meal to remove malnutrition
Millets have also been included in the mid-day meal scheme to eradicate malnutrition in the state. Children in schools are being given dishes made of millet in the mid-day meal, including cookies, laddoos, and soya-chikki, he said.
Chhattisgarh is the country’s first state to purchase millet on support price
Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country that is procuring millet at the support price. Under this mission which is operated in 14 districts of the state, along with fixing the support price of Kodo-Kutki-Ragi, arrangements were also made for collection through women self-help groups under the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce (Trading & Development) Co-operative Federation Limited.
Input subsidy is also being given to the farmers by including these crops under the ambit of the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana and farmers are being made aware by experts to increase productivity.
For this, an MoU has been signed between the Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad (IIMR), and 14 districts. IMR has also taken the responsibility of providing good quality seeds of Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi as well as helping in setting up of seed bank. Along with this, IIMR is also giving training to the farmers.
Also Read: https://clipper28.com/en/cm-announced-for-opening-of-a-new-college-in-thelka-and-bortara/
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