Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked BJP MPs to promote the consumption of millets in an organised manner along the lines of how yoga was popularised worldwide.
On a day when the Agriculture Ministry is hosting a millets-only lunch for all parliamentarians to usher in the International Year of Millets in 2023, PM Modi, in the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting, said the consumption of nutritious millets should be made as popular as the adoption of yoga.
India holding the G20 presidency this year and hosting the G20 Summit later this year would be a shot in the arm for the mission.
At the BJP parliamentary party meet, the PM also asked MPs to promote and actively participate in the Khel Sansad Yojana and to promote kabaddi in villages. “The PM suggested starting Kabbadi leagues at the district-level and to promote the sport and connect with youths from villages,” said a senior BJP MP.
The PM, sources said, asked MPs to organise sports competitions and tournaments to reach out to the youth ahead of Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
At the BJP MPs’ meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave a presentation on the upcoming G20 Summit. “The minister asked the MPs to showcase India when foreign dignitaries come and stressed on its importance for the country as the world continues to watch us,” said the MP quoted above.
Mission Millets
The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar is hosting a special lunch for MPs on Tuesday, dishing out items made of bajra, ragi and jwar. Special chefs have reportedly been brought in from Karnataka to make ragi specialities like idli and ragi dosa. Rotis will be made out of ragi and jowar and will be served to MPs to promote millet-eating culture. Other food items include bajra and jowar khichdi and bajra kheer.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had hosted a similar lunch for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Security Council members on December 16.
India had notified millets as a nutritious cereal in April 2018 and millet has also been included in the Poshan Mission campaign.
India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the primary producers of millets. In the last five years, India has produced more than 13.71 to 18 million tonnes of millet, with the highest production in 2020-21.
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment