Lok Sabha Question No. 349 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Global Millet Hubs
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 349

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2026

## GLOBAL MILLET HUBS

*349. SMT. JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT:

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

- (a) whether the Government plans to leverage the agricultural expertise of traditional ricegrowing hubs like Janjgir-Champa, Sakti, Korba and Baloda Bazar to establish them as Global Millet Hubs;
- (b) the specific financial allocation for primary and secondary millet processing units at the block level in these districts during the Financial Year 2025-26;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that despite the global branding of "Shree Anna", lack of localized processing infrastructure forces farmers to sell raw millets at sub-par prices;
- (d) the number of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) from Chhattisgarh integrated into the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for millet-based products as of February 2026; and
- (e) the  details  of  concrete  steps  being  taken  to  move  beyond  "awareness  branding"  to ensure  a  guaranteed,  end-to-end  procurement  and  value-addition  chain  directly benefiting the tribal and rural farmers of the State?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  IN  RESPECT  OF  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION  NO.349  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  17 TH   MARCH,  2026  REGARDING ' GLOBAL MILLET HUBS'

(a) & (b): The Government has been promoting the production and productivity of Shree Anna  (millets)  in  the  state  of  Chhattisgarh,  through  its  scheme  like  the  National  Food Security  &  Nutrition  Mission  (NFSNM)  and  through  the  special  interventions  under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana-Detailed Project Report (RKVY - DPR).

Under  NFSNM  states  are  given  assistance  to  increase  the  production  and productivity of millets (Shree Anna) through various interventions like demonstration, seed production and seed distribution. Flexibility under the scheme is given to the implementing States / UTs to identify districts, subject to inter alia conditions that prioritize districts with low  productivity  but  high  potential.  The  State  of  Chhattisgarh  was  approved  an  Annual Action Plan for Rs. 528.75 lakhs (Central Share + State Share) lakhs under the NFSNM for promotion  of  Millets  for  the  year  2025-2026.  The  implementing  State  Government  has informed that the state is promoting millets (Ragi, Kodo, Kutki) under NFSNM-Shree Anna in  selected  10  districts  namely  Rajnandgaon,  Kabirdham,  Sarguja,  Balrampur,  Koriya, Kondagaon, Bastar, Dantewada, Sukma and Kanker of Chhattisgarh state and through the scheme, 5 Kisan melas were organized in Kabirdham, Balrampur, Dantewada, Sukma and Kanker districts of the state.

In addition, the state has been approved a project for Demonstration of millets under RKVY - DPR with an approved project cost of Rs.2461.56 lakhs (Central Share + State Share). The state of Chhattisgarh has reported that the project is being implemented in the state  including  in  the  districts  of  Janjgir-Champa,  Sakti,  Korba  and  Baloda  Bazar  for promotion and expansion of millets there by focussing on promoting millet cultivation in the region. The area covered under the project in the four districts for millet promotion is 1640 ha. The state government under its own scheme -Krishak Unnati Yojna has also provided input  subsidy  to  millet  growers  for  an  area  of  215.175  ha  in  the  above  mentioned  four districts.

(c) to (e): The  Government  has  been  taking  various  initiatives  to  promote  millet cultivation, processing and consumption across the country along with incentivizing food processing units, and exporters engaged in millet-based products. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for the Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) from 2021-22 to 2026-27 and one component of the scheme focuses on Millet-Based Products, with an outlay of Rs. 800 crores. This component  was  launched  keeping  in  view  International  Year  of  Millets  (IYoM).  The objectives of the PLI Scheme for Millet-Based Products (PLISMBP) are to increase the use of millets in food  products  and  promote  their  value  addition  by  incentivizing  the manufacturing  and  sale  of  selected  millet-based  products  in  both  domestic  and  export markets. 29 applicants have been approved under PLISMBP component of the scheme for millet-based units at 45 locations throughout the country. The State Government & MoFPI have informed that no FPO have been integrated into the PLI scheme for Millet based products in Chhattisgarh as of February, 2026.

Further,  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Formalisation  of  Micro  Food  Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, Millets and millet-based products have been identified as One District One Product (ODOP) in 21 districts of 11 States and 17 Incubation Centers have been approved in 10 States having Millet processing lines. As on 31.12.2025, 4,612 micro food processing enterprises with subsidy of Rs.91.20 Crores for millet processing units have been approved across the country.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution have informed that to increase the procurement and consumption of millets, states have been permitted to procure millets (jowar, bajra, ragi and six minor millets) from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the central pool subject to the prior approval of the Central Government, based on the detailed procurement plan prepared by State Governments in consultation with Food Corporation of India (FCl) for distribution under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and  Other  Welfare  Schemes  (OWS).  The  Government  of  India  has  taken  following initiatives  to  increase  procurement  and  distribution.  The  distribution  period/  shelf  life  of millets has been increased from earlier 3 months to 6-10 months for enhancing higher level of  procurement. Further, provision of inter-state transportation of surplus millets through FCI, increase in administrative charges on acquisition stage from 1% to 2% of MSP and inclusion  of  minor  millets  in  TPDS  (Targeted  Public  Distribution  System)/  OWS  (Other Welfare Schemes) are other actions taken by the government to facilitate procurement.

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