Millet canteen to be commissioned at AIIMS Delhi

New Delhi [India], February 4 (ANI): A 'Millet Canteen' shall be commissioned at AIIMS, New Delhi as the Government of India has decided to celebrate the year 2023 as the 'International Year Millets' to make it a people's movement and promote millet products globally, said the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) in a statement on Saturday.
The Government of India has decided to celebrate the year 2023 as the 'International Year Millets' to make it a people's movement so that Indian millets, recipes, and value-added products are promoted globally. As Millets are high in protein, fibre, essential vitamins, and minerals, they are renowned as a nutritional powerhouse.
In addition to a plethora of health benefits, millets are also good for the environment with low water & input requirement. The 'International Year of Millets' stands to provide a unique opportunity to increase global production, ensure efficient processing and consumption, promote better utilization of crop rotations and encourage better connectivity throughout food systems to promote millets as a key component of the food basket.
In line with Govt. of India's impetus, a 'Millet Canteen' shall be commissioned at AIIMS New Delhi on the 2nd Floor of the Central Cafeteria. This canteen shall offer millet-based dishes on a 24x7 basis and shall be operationalized latest by 1st March 2023.
In other several efforts by the government to promote millet globally, the Indian Institute of Millet Research in Hyderabad will be supported as the Centre of Excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday.
The minister said in her budget speech that India is the largest producer and second largest exporter of 'Shree Anna' in the world.
India is a global leader in the production of millet with an area of about 12.5 million hectares and a share of more than 15 per cent of the world's total production. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are the major millets producing states.
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on February 1, inaugurated a Millet Cafe on the premises of Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr Sarma said that the cafe has been inaugurated to increase the popularity of millet and complement the nutritional quotient of the employees of Janata Bhawan.
FSSAI will soon formulate guidelines for schools, hospitals, government canteens etc, to incorporate millets as nutritional options in the food menu, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Jan 31.
On Jan 30, the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Csaba Korosi was on a visit to India and he was welcomed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as he hosted him for a millet lunch.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 29, said that a new revolution is on its way as people are widely participating in the campaigns promoting Yoga and Millet by making them an essential part of their lives.
The growing interest in millet and entrepreneurs tapping its potential in India also found a mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly Mann Ki Baat programme.
A sizable portion of PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat on Sunday was dedicated to millets.
Even a tableau of the Indian Council and Agricultural Research (ICAR) was on the theme International Year of Millets 2023 and it was among the special attractions during the 74th Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path. The tableau of ICAR depicted the flourishing crops of jowar, bajra, ragi, kutki and Sanwa. Besides, the tractor in front of the tableau is decorated with a rangoli of millet grains.
Similarly, on Jan 25, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) organised a one-day national-level seminar on 'Millets for Life (Lifestyle for Environment): Developing Climate Resilient Local Communities in the Ganga Basin' at India International Centre in New Delhi. The seminar featured experts involved with several aspects of millet cultivation and marketing promotion, including policymakers, academicians and practitioners.
Earlier this year, in January, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai inaugurated the International Millet and Organic Mela-2023 in Bengaluru and suggested preparing a scientific outlook report to change the lives of farmers. (ANI)