PM Modi, fellow MPs enjoy millet lunch in parliament

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, along with fellow Members of Parliament, enjoyed a lunch hosted by agriculture minister Narendra Tomar to mark Millet Year 2023. The Prime Minister was present at the event for nearly 40 minutes.

Sitting alongside PM Narendra Modi while having the meal were agriculture minister Narendra Tomar, defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar and former prime minister HD Devegowda.

"We prepared delicacies including Roti and sweets made out of Jwar bajra and ragi for which chefs were specially brought in from Karnataka. I was delighted that the Prime Minister really enjoyed his meal here," Minister of State for agriculture Shobha Karandlaje told ANI. The delicacies that were prepared today included Khichdi made out of millet, Ragi Dosa, Ragi Roti, Jowar roti, Haldi sabji, bajra, Churma. The sweet delicacies included bajra Kheer bajra cake amongst others.

Earlier today, during the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting PM Modi laid emphasis on the celebration of International Millet Year 2023 and suggested ways to promote an ongoing nutrition campaign through millet.

On the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM). The Government of India had notified millet as a nutritious- cereal in April 2018 and millet has also been included in the Poshan Mission campaign.

Under the National Food Security Mission (NFMS), a nutritious cereal component for Millet is being implemented in 212 districts of 14 States. Asia and Africa are the major production and consumption centres of millet crops. India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the major producer of millet. India is the major production country of Millet in which Kangni, Kutki or small millet, Kodon, Gangora or Barnyard, china and Brown top are included with Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and small millets. Most of the states in India grow one or more millet crop species. During the last 5 years, our country produced more than 13.71 to 18 million tonnes of millet with the highest production in 2020-21.