Coinciding with the International Year of Millets 2023, during the G 20 meetings being held in the current year, millets are being promoted on a large scale through millet meals, millet melas and distribution of millet gift hampers. Further interaction with millet farmers are also taking place on the sidelines of the G 20 meetings to spread the awareness about millet crops.

The Government of India is implementing a multi stakeholder approach towards celebration of International Year of Millets (IYM) – 2023. The action plan of IYM-2023 focuseson strategies to enhance production and productivity, consumption, export, strengthening value chain, branding, creating awareness for health benefits etc.Further, month wise action plans have been prepared by Central Ministries, State Governmentsand Indian Embassies to create awareness about millets for increasing production and demand.

Haryana too has prepared a month wise plan for millet promotion throughout the year with activities such as farmers training, farmers awareness camps, village level camps, Bajra  mahotsav, school programmes, road shows, publicity etc.

In addition, states such as Odisha, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan are implementing State Millet Missions to increase production and consumption.

Further, in order to promote millets, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing aSub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in 212 Districts of 14 States since 2018-19.Under NFSM–Nutri Cereals, incentives are provided to the farmers, through the states/UTs, on crop production and protection technologies, cropping system based demonstrations, production & distribution of certified seeds of newly released varieties/hybrids, Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management techniques, improved farm implements/tools/resource conservation machineries, water saving devices, capacity building of farmers through trainings during cropping season, organizing events/workshops, distribution of seed minikits, publicity through print and electronic media etc. The interventions such as setting up Centres of Excellence (CoE) and seed hubs for Nutri Cereals have also been supported under NFSM.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has approved the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry for Millet-based products (PLISMBP) for implementation during 2022-23 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs. 800 crores. The Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyanis currently being implemented in 35 States and Union Territories (UTs). Government is also popularizing Agri-Infrastructure Fund Scheme to invite farmers/FPOs/Entrepreneurs to avail the benefit of interest subvention on loans up to 2 crores for setting up primary processing units in millets.To encourage farmers to take up millet cultivation,higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to Jowar, Bajra and Ragihas been announced.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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