Lok Sabha Question No. 2302 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-06
Subject: Assistance for Nutri Cereals under NFSM
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2302

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06 TH  AUGUST, 2024

## ASSISTANCE FOR NUTRI CEREALS UNDER NFSM

2302.  SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण be pleased to state: (a) the steps initiated by the Government to generate mass awareness, increase production, productivity and strengthen the value-chain to promoting 'Golden Grain' Millets as the avenue to food and nutritional security; (b) whether the Government is planning to include Nutri-Cereals/Millets within the PDS and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether under National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Nutri Cereals (Millets) (NISM), assistance is given through State Governments to farmers for interventions like distribution of seeds of High Yielding Varieties/hybrids, improved farm machineries/resource conservation machineries/tools, efficient water application tools etc.; and (d) the allocations made under NFSM-Nutri Cereals during 2020-21 to 2023-24?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR) (a):

- The Government of India has taken a proactive multi-stakeholder engagement approach  (engaging  various  central  government  Ministries/Departments,  States/ Union  Territories,  farmers,  start-ups,  exporters,  retail  businesses,  hotels,  Indian Embassies etc.) to achieve the objectives of International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 declared by the United Nations General Assembly on the proposal of India and taking Indian millets globally. The focus during IYM 2023 was to enhance production and productivity,  consumption,  export,  strengthening  value  chain,  branding,  creating awareness for health benefits etc.

मंũी

The  Government  of  India  has  organized  various  events  to  make  it  peoples' movement  so  that  the  Indian  millets,  recipes,  value  added  products  be  promoted globally.  Millets  were  promoted  during  the  G20  presidency  in India,  Millet  Culinary 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 and Delhi etc. Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference was held from 18 th -19 th  March 2023 at IARI, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, which was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister. To make India a global hub for 'Shree Anna', the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad  was  declared  as  the  Global  Centre  of  Excellence  for  sharing  best practices, research and technologies at the national and international level.

IIMR,  Hyderabad  provides  training  to  the  farmers,  women  farmers,  home makers, students and young entrepreneurs on manufacturing of value-added millet food products, daily recipes etc., and support them to establish self-enterprise. The institute  has  also  developed  value-added  technologies  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. 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.

A  new  Regional  Research  Centre  for  Bajra  at  Gudamalani,  near  Barmer, Rajasthan was inaugurated on 27 th  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)'' was adopted during the G20 Presidency.

In  order to increase the production & productivity of millets (Shree Anna), the Department of  Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing a SubMission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in 28 States  &  2  Union  Territories  viz.  Jammu  &  Kashmir  and  Ladakh.  In  addition, 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  the  approval  of  State  Level  Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) headed by Chief Secretary of the State.

During 2014 to 2024, a total of 253 Millets varieties comprising 75 of Sorghum, 76 of Pearl millet; 19 of Little millet; 7 of Proso millet; 13 of Kodo millet; 43 of Finger millet; 12 of Foxtail millet, 1 of Brown top millet and 7 of Barnyard millet have been released  by  Central  Variety  Release  Committee  (CVRC)  for  cultivation  in  different agro-ecologies of country.

- (b):   As  per  the  guidelines  for  procurement,  allocation,  distribution  and  disposal  of coarse grain, States/Union Territories are allowed to procure Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and six minor millets from farmers at MSP (Minimum Support Price) under central pool subject to the prior approval of Government of India, in consultation with FCI (Food Corporation of India). The whole quantity shall be distributed under TPDS (Targeted Public  Distribution  System)  /  OWS  (Other  Welfare  Schemes)  in  the  State/Union Territory.
- (c):     Under NFSM-Nutri Cereals, assistance is given to farmers, through State/ Union Territories,  for  interventions  like  cluster  demonstrations  on  improved  package  of practices, production & distribution of seeds of High Yielding Varieties (HYVs)/hybrids, improved farm machineries/resource conservation machineries/tools, efficient water application tools, plant protection measures, nutrient management/soil ameliorants, cropping system based trainings to the farmers etc.
- (d):   The allocations made under NFSM-Nutri Cereals during 2020-21 to 2023-24 is given below:

(Rs. in crore)

| Year       |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |
|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Allocation |     183.9 |    200.31 |    314.62 |    397.23 |

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