Millet Distribution in India Through Government Distribution Scheme

The Government of India is taking significant strides in popularizing millet, recognizing its immense nutritional and environmental benefits. To achieve this, they have launched the Millets Awareness Programme (MAP), a nationwide campaign to educate the public about the advantages of incorporating millets into their diets.

Emphasizing India's commitment to sustainability and healthy food choices, millets are also being promoted on the international stage during India's G20 Presidency. Through workshops, seminars, and collaborative efforts with experts and farmers, the government aims to mainstream millet cultivation and consumption. By leveraging this initiative, India seeks to inspire other nations to embrace these climate-resilient crops and foster a more sustainable global food ecosystem.

The Government of India has introduced the below strides in order to maximize the distribution of Millet:

• Enhanced preparation for attaining increased procurement goals of coarse grains, with a significant focus on Bajra and Ragi.

• The government proposes to incorporate millets for distribution under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) instead of wheat or rice.

• States with surplus production are advised to communicate the excess quantity in advance, while deficit states are urged to communicate their requirements for coarse grains and millets well ahead of time.

• States are urged to promote crop diversification by increasing the production of coarse grains and millets.

• In order to enhance the nutritional intake of NFSA beneficiaries, all States/UTs have been requested to procure millets and distribute them according to local consumption preferences and the guidelines issued by the Department from time to time.

• The Government of India has taken special initiatives to popularize millets. The Department of Food & Public Distribution, along with its field offices like Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), have organized Millets Awareness Programs, Competitions, Seminars, and other events to spread awareness about millets.

• During India's G20 presidency, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is actively promoting millets. These nutritious grains are being showcased at events like the International Trade Fair and Surajkund Mela. As part of the efforts to highlight the significance of millets, the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference was organized from March 18 to 19, 2023 at the IARI Pusa campus in New Delhi. Moreover, the establishment of the 'Millets Experience Centre (MEC)' at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi aims to raise awareness about millets and encourage their adoption among the public. To further encourage millet consumption, the DA&FW has installed vending machines offering millet products in various Ministries/Departments through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). Additionally, millet and its products have been designated as One District One Product (ODOP) in 19 Districts of 10 States.

• The Indian Council of Agriculture Research-Indian Institute of Millet Research (ICAR-IIMR) in Hyderabad is actively conducting workshops on millet recipes, including millet sweets like kheer and cookies, catering to various sectors like chefs. IIMR, through its Nutri hub, is running relevant entrepreneurial programs such as Nutri-cereals entrepreneurship and startup training programs (NEST). The institute has also developed a range of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook millet-based foods. The successful branding of millet foods under "Eatrite" has been achieved through extensive campaigning, popularization, and awareness programs.