Lok Sabha Question No. 2280 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Increase in Distribution of Millets under PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Sunita Duggal

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2280 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2ND AUGUST, 2023

## INCREASE IN DISTRIBUTION OF MILLETS UNDER PDS

## 2280.  SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER  AFFAIRS1  FOOD  AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION W$itaT qH& eTH ait VT8tfqq fq?wrIt# be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Government plans to  increase distribution of millets under public distribution scheme to ensure nutritional security along with food security of people in the country;
- (b) if so, the details of such policy roadmap;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps/measures  to  raise awareness about existing variety of millets based food products in market for retail consumers;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Ministry  plans/has launched any awareness campaign to promote consumption of millets and promotion of IYM-2023 and if so, the details  thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a)&(b): Yes Sir, Government has planned to increase distribution  of Millets under public  distribution  scheme which  is as under:

- (i) Advance planning for  achieving higher procurement targets of  coarse grains with major contribution  of Bajra and Ragi,

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- (ii) State to include  millet  for  distribution  under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) in lieu of wheat/rice.
- (iii) Procuring States are advised to convey the surplus quantity well in advance. Deficit States are  advised to  convey their  requirement of coarse grains/millets weII in advance,
- (iv) States are requested to  encourage the diversification of  crops by enhancing the production of more coarse grains/millets
- (v) To improve the  level of  nutrition  among the beneficiaries covered under NFSA, all the States/ UTs have been requested to procure millets and distribute for  NFSA beneficiaries as per local consumption preference and as per the guidelines issued by this  Department from time to time,
- (c) to  (e): Government  of India  has  made  special efforts for popularizing rnillets. Department of  Food &  Public Distribution and field offices i.e.  Food Corporation India (FCI)  and Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)  have conducted awareness about the  millets through organizing Millets  Awareness Programme/Competition/Seminars etc.

Department of Agriculture  and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is  promoting millets during India's G20 presidency. Millets are also showcased in  various events such as International Trade Fair1 Surajkund Mela! etc, A  key event organized towards International Year of Millets was the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conferencel held from  18th -19th March 2023 at  IARI Pusa campus, New Delhi. In  continuation  to  the  efforts  towards  mainstreaming millets,  a 'Millets Experience Centre (MEG)' has been opened in Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi with  an aim to  raise awareness on Millets  and encouraging its adoption among general publica  in  order  to  encourage consumption  of  millets snacks  in  Departmental trainings/ meetings and millet  based food  items  in  Departmental canteens. DA&FW has also installed vending machines for millet  products through National Agricultural  Cooperative Marketing Federation of  India  (NAFED) to  various Ministries/ Departments, Millet  and its  product have been identified as  One District One Product (ODOP) in 19 Districts of IO States,

The Indian Council of Agriculture Research- Indian Institute of Millet Research (ICAR-IIMit), Hyderabad is  also  regularly  conducting  workshop on millets recipe/ millet sweets like kheer and cookies/ cooking with millets for all sector of people including chefs. lllUR through its nutri hub is conducting relevant entrepreneurIal programme like nutri-cereals entrepreneurship and  startup training programme (NEST). ICAR/IIMit Hyderabad has developed various ready to eat and ready to  cook mIllet  based foods. 'Eatrite'  branding of mIllet foods have been  successfully built through campaigning, popularization and  awareness prograrnrnes.

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