In a bid to promote millets in meals, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday organized a special lunch where millet dishes were served to all the Ministers and legislators in the Chhattisgarh Assembly.
A wide variety of millet dishes including ragi pakoras, kodo bhajiya, kutki-ke-farre and ragi halwa were served, earning praise from the Chief Minister and Speaker Dr. Charan Das Mahant.
The Ministers and the legislators also relished the dishes.
Baghel announced that on the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Millet Cafe will be opened at the Mantralaya soon.
The Central government has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Chhattisgarh has also taken the to boost millet production.
Since millet is produced in large quantities in Chhattisgarh, the government has declared the support price of Kodo Kutki at Rs. 3,000 per quintal and of Ragi as Rs 3,377 per quintal, Baghel said.
Millets have also been included in the mid-day meal scheme to eradicate malnutrition. Children in schools are given dishes made of millet including cookies, laddoos and soya chikki.
To promote millet production, a MoU has been signed between the Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad (IIMR), and 14 districts in Chhattisgarh.
IMR has also taken the responsibility of providing good quality seeds of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi and in setting up a seed bank. IIMR is also training the farmers.