Chhattisgarh govt may serve millets in mid-day meals, state-run ashrams

The Chhattisgarh government is planning to serve millets in mid-day meals and in state-run ashrams, given its high nutrition value.
 

“Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has called for an action plan to include millets in the state's ashrams and mid-day meals. This is considering the effective role of millets (Kodo, Kutki and Ragi) in controlling malnutrition,” a state government spokesperson said.

Baghel also called for preparing an action plan for promoting millet-based industries after discussing with the departments concerned.
 

Baghel also sought inclusion of malnourished children and anaemic women in the action plan of the Chhattisgarh Millet Mission.
 

The officials said Chhattisgarh was the only state in the country that had fixed the minimum support price (MSP) for Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi, and ensured procurement through state-run centres.

In addition, an input subsidy of Rs 9,000 per acre is also being provided to millet farmers by including these crops under the purview of Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana.

The area under cultivation of millets in the state has increased from 69,000 hectares to 188,000 hectares.

Under the Chhattisgarh Millet Mission, a target has also been set to increase the productivity of millets from 4.5 quintals per acre to 9 quintals per acre, doubling the per acre yield.

Chhattisgarh was honoured as the best-emerging state for the promotion of millets during the ‘Poshak Annaj Award-2022’ organised by the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, and Union ministry of agriculture in Hyderabad recently.
 

In the state, millets are being procured by women self-help groups (SHGs) working under Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation in local procurement centres at support price.

Around 12,000 collectors are active in the state. The collected millets are then sent to Van Dhan Vikas Kendras where women SHGs have to perform quality checks and send it for storage.

Kodo is being purchased at Rs 30, Kutki at Rs 30 and Ragi at Rs 33.77 per kg. Four new millet-based products have been developed in the state in collaboration with IIMR Hyderabad. These products are Millet Khichdi, Millet Kheer, Millet Laddu, and Ragi Porridge (Ragi malt).

To accelerate the processing of millets, preparations are being made to set up primary processing centres in 20 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.

To expand the scope of millet use, it is being used in Anganwadi centres as nutritious food for infants and in mid-day meals for students, as well as pregnant mothers.