Raipur: Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated the three-day Chhattisgarh Millet Carnival
Raipur, 17 February 2023/
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated Chhattisgarh Millet Carnival today by garlanding the portrait of Chhattisgarh Mahtari, lighting the traditional lamp and singing the state song “Arpa Pari Ke Dhar”.
Carnival will be organized at Subhash Stadium from 17 to 19 February
This event is being organized under the joint aegis of Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association and IIMR Hyderabad.
Forest and Climate Change Minister Mr. Mohammad Akbar, President of State Housing Board Mr. Kuldeep Juneja, Mayor Mr. Ejaz Dhebar are also present in the program
Carnival is being organized with the aim of encouraging inclusion of millet in the daily diet and to create public awareness about its nutritional value.
At the Carnival, common people will be able to enjoy the delicious dishes of Millet.
Millet start-ups are showcasing their packaged millet products at the carnival
Street plays by educational institutions and cultural programs by local folk artists will be organized every evening in the carnival for public awareness.
Famous chefs of the country will also teach how to make new delicious dishes of millet
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel addressed the Millets Carnival inaguration programme
Millets were earlier considered the food of the toiling masses.
Millets seeds can be stored for 12 years
Today millets have become the food of the rich, as most patients of diabetes are from this section of the society
Millets are rich in nutrients, low in glycemic index
Presently, millets are being cultivated in 1 lakh 65 thousand hectare.
Earlier, the millet cultivation area was only 70 hectares
With the support and incentives of state government, the production area of millets has increased by two to two and a half times.
Millets production, storage, processing have generated employment on a large scale
Millets will be included in the mid-day meal programme.
Chhattisgarh is the hub of millets.
For the first time in the country, the minimum support price of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi has been fixed and announced in Chhattisgarh. This has stirred a wave of joy and enthusiasm among the farmers. Nearly 55 thousand quintals of millets have been procured in the first year itself.
The market price of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi, which used to be Rs.12 to Rs.15 earlier, has been increased to Rs.25 to Rs.28 today.
Millet producing farmers are availing the benefits of input subsidy under Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana
With the financial support from the state government, the country’s largest millet processing plant has been set up in the private sector at Nathia Navagaon in Kanker district.
