Lok Sabha Question No. 1482 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-12
Subject: Increasing the Demand for Millets
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Dinesh Chandra Yadav, Santosh Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1482

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## INCREASING THE DEMAND FOR MILLETS

1482. SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH: SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV: SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is taking any steps to increase the demand for millets across the world based on its health benefits;
- (b) whether our country is leading in the production of millets in the world; and
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  the production of millets?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

- (a)  to  (c):  The  United  Nation's  General  Assembly  (UNGA)  declared  2023  as International Year of Millets (IYM). The Government of India is implementing a multi stakeholder approach towards celebration of International Year of Millets (IYM) - 2023. The  action  plan  of  IYM-2023  focuses  on  strategies  to  enhance  production  and productivity,  consumption,  export,  strengthening  value  chain,  branding,  creating awareness for health benefits etc. Millets were promoted during G20 presidency in India, Millet Culinery carnival,  International  Trade  Events,  Chef's  Conference, exhibition  of  Farmers  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs),  road  shows,  kisan  melas, Chef's training for paramilitary forces, ASEAN India Millet Festival at Indonesia etc.

Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has approved the Production Linked  Incentive  Scheme  for  Food  Processing  Industry  for  Millet-based  products (PLISMBP) for implementation during 2022-23 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs. 800

crores. An Export Promotion Forum dedicated to promotion of millets in the international market  has  been  set up to facilitate promotion, marketing  and development of millets exports from India. Under the Eat Right campaign, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is creating awareness to promote the use of millets as part of a healthy and varied diet. Millets are also included under the Poshan Abhiyan of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.  Further, the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution has revised its guidelines to increase the procurement of millets under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and MidDay  Meal.  The  ICAR-Indian  Institute  of  Millets  Research  (IIMR),  Hyderabad  has developed  value-added  technologies  which  include  'Ready  to  Eat'  and  'Ready  to Cook'  for  millet  foods,  branding  of  millet  foods  under  'Eatrite'  tag,  organized awareness programmes, agri-business incubator, technology business incubators etc. As per Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) statistic 2021, India  is the leading  millets  producer  in  the  world.  In  order  to  increase  the  production  of  and productivity  of  millets  (Shree  Anna),  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare  (DA&FW)  is  implementing  a  Sub-Mission  on  Nutri-Cereals  (Millets)  under National  Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM)  in  all  districts  of  28  States  &  2  Union Territories viz. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Government of India also provides flexibility to the states for state specific needs/priorities under Rashtirya Krishi Vikas Yojana  (RKVY).  The  states  can  promote  Millets  (Shree  Anna)  under  RKVY  with approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) headed by Chief Secretary of the State. In  addition,  states  such  as  Assam,  Bihar,  Chhattisgarh,  Karnataka,  Madhya Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Odisha,  Rajasthan,  Tamil  Nadu,  Uttarakhand  and  Uttar Pradesh have initiated Millet Missions in the States to promote millets. To make India a  global  hub  for  'Shree  Anna',  the  Indian  Institute  of  Millets  Research  (IIMR), Hyderabad has been declared as the Global Centre of Excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the national and international level. To  strengthen  the  research  collaboration  and  public  awareness  of  millets globally,  a  new  initiative  viz.,  'Millets  and  OtHer  Ancient  GRains  International

ReSearcH Initiative (MAHARISHI) has been adopted during the G20 Presidency.

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