Lok Sabha Question No. 1537 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-12
Subject: Incentives for Millets Growing Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Gautham Sigamani Pon

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1537

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## INCENTIVES FOR MILLETS GROWING FARMERS

1537. DR. PON GAUTHAM SIGAMANI:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कल्याण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering to provide incentives to farmers growing Millets and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also true that the country aims to produce 45 million tonnes of Millets by 2030;
- (c) whether it is also true that millets had lost its sheen with the production of more rice and wheat;
- (d) whether it is also a fact that there is a need to make investments in Research and Development for making products based on Jowar and Bajra for which there was a huge market; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कल्याण मंũी (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

(a)  to  (c):  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. Under NFSM-Nutri Cereals, the incentives are provided to the farmers, through  the  States/UTs,  on  crop  production  and  protection  technologies,  cropping system based demonstrations, production & distribution of certified seeds of newly released  varieties/hybrids,  Integrated  Nutrient  and  Pest  Management  techniques, improved  farm  implements/tools/resource  conservation  machineries,  water  saving devices,  capacity  building  of  farmers  through  trainings  during  cropping  season, organizing events/workshops, distribution of seed minikits, publicity through print and electronic media etc.

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. During 2022-23, the production of Nutri-Cereals (Shree Anna) was 173.20  lakh  tonnes  compared  to  160  lakh  tonnes  during  2021-22,  which  is  8% increase in production over the previous year.

(d) & (e): 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. The ICAR-IIMR 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.  The  new  Regional Research Centre for Bajra at  Gudamalani, near Barmer, Rajasthan has been inaugurated on 27th September, 2023.

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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