Kailash Choudhary, Secretaries from Agriculture Ministry Relish 'Millets Only' Lunch by Narendra Tomar in New Delhi

Ahead of the International Year of Millets 2023, a special 'millets only' meal was hosted by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at his residence on Thursday afternoon. The lunch was held to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to promote millets across the world.

The millet feast was attended by Union Minister of State Kailash Choudhary, Secretary of Agriculture Manoj Ahuja, and other officials of the Ministry of Agriculture. Krishi Jagran was also invited to participate in the event.

A number of millet delicacies including khichdi, churma, kheer, bajra roti, halwa, garlic chutney, and kadi were relished by the attendees.

Union Minister of State Kailash Choudhary while speaking with Krishi Jagran said, "The UN recently endorsed PM Modi's vital attempt to raise awareness of the nutritional benefits of millets on a global scale."

"In the past, millet was the main food consumed in the country, while rice and wheat were only recently introduced. People were therefore more resistant to diseases like diabetes and cancer", he added.

According to him, incorporating millet into everyone's diet is essential for eradicating global health problems like malnutrition.

The Indian government wants millet to be a part of every plate, whether it be a meal at a five-star hotel, a wedding feast, or a typical thali for those who live in rural areas, he said.

"This will also lead to the benefit of small-scale farmers in the country", he noted.

The gathering comes a day after PM Modi share a table with fellow members of Parliament for an all-millet lunch. On Tuesday afternoon, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and former Prime Minister HD Devegowda were seated at the same table as PM Narendra Modi at the millet luncheon held by Tomar.

PM shared several pics from the event and wrote in the caption, "As we prepare to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets, attended a sumptuous lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served. Good to see participation from across party lines."

The delights produced for the meal in the Parliament consisted of Haldi sabji, Churma, Ragi Dosa, Ragi Roti, and Jowar Roti, according to the reports. Bajra Kheer and millet cake were also severed among the sweet treats.

For the not known, the United Nations has designated 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM) owing to PM Modi's efforts. In April 2018, the government declared millet to be a healthy cereal, while it was also included in the Poshan Mission campaign later.

In a bid to take Prime Minister Modi’s vision forward of advancing millet to every nook and corner of the country, Krishi Jagran is taking various initiatives of promoting millet across its 23 editions, in 12 languages across the country, with its ‘Special Edition on Millet’ to be unveiled in January 2023, followed by round the year activities. “We’ll ensure that millet is in every plate, at every place,” sums up, MC Dominic, Editor-in-Chief, Krishi Jagran.