Page 12 - NIS English February 01-15,2023

Cover Story Nutritious Cereals: India Leading

MAJOR INITIATIVES TAKEN BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

n SIGNIFICANCE: In view of the rich nutritional n CORPORATE WORLD SHOULD COME
content of millets, the central government has FORWARD: In a webinar organized on February
notified millets as nutri-cereals in April 2018. 24, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called
AWARENESS: Creating awareness among
n upon the corporate world to come forward in
farmers for nutritious cereals like Ragi, Jowar, branding and promotion of Indian coarse grains.
Bajra and many other coarse cereals through n COMPULSORY IN CANTEENS: To promote the
demonstration and training for nutritious cereals consumption of millets keeping in mind their
under National Food Security Mission. health benefits, the central government has
RESEARCH-STARTUPS: Popularizing Nutritious
n directed all department offices to introduce and
Millets through R&D support. Startups and promote millets in their canteens and meetings.
entrepreneurs are also getting support to develop n POSHAN ABHIYAAN: In order to increase
recipes and products that promote consumption nutrition among children, the Central Government
of millets. has requested the State Governments to explore

BIO-FORTIFIED VARIETIES: Eight bio-fortified
n the possibility of introducing coarse cereals
varieties/hybrids of millets have been released under the PM Poshan Yojana, with priority given
for cultivation from 2018 to February 2022 to those districts where coarse cereals are
included in the diet as a culturally accepted habit.
EXPORT PROMOTION: Ministry of Commerce
n
and Industry through its apex agricultural export n OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIA: By declaring 2023
promotion body, Agricultural and Processed as the International Year of Millets 2023, the
Food Products Export Development Authority United Nations General Assembly has worked
(APEDA) has come up with a comprehensive towards increasing the area under cultivation of
strategy from December 2022 to promote export coarse cereals worldwide. India being the largest
of nutritious food grains worldwide. producer of coarse cereals in the world is taking
comprehensive steps to take advantage of this
n E-CATALOGS: For the promotion of Indian opportunity.
coarse grains and products, the Center has
developed 30 e-catalogues on each of the target
countries, covering the range of different Indian
coarse grains and products available for export.
It contains the list of active exporters, startups,
Farmers Producer Organizations and importer/
retail chain/hyper markets etc. It is to be given to
Indian Embassies abroad, importers, exporters,
startups and stakeholders.

n GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP: NITI Aayog signed MILLETS ARE THE BEST: At the launch
a letter of intent with the United Nations World ceremony of the International Year of Millets
Food Program on 20 December 2021. The
partnership focuses on mainstreaming millets 2023 organized by the United Nations Food
and supporting India in sharing knowledge and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome
globally in the backdrop of International Year of (Italy), Prime Minister Modi emphasized on
Millets 2023. making millets a food option for the future. He
EMPHASIS ON BRANDING: The Union Budget
n also explained how climate change is affecting
2022-23 has also emphasized that assistance food availability. The Prime Minister had said,
will be provided for post-harvest value addition, "Coarse grains are good for the consumer, the
increasing domestic consumption and branding farmer and the climate."
of millet products nationally and internationally.

10 10 New India Samachar February 1-15, 2023February 1-15 , 2023
New India Samachar