We have planned to bring millet into diet in G20 meetings: Kiren Rijiju

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that the government has planned to bring Millet into the diet in the G20 meetings that will be held in the country next year.

"The government is celebrating the international year of Millet. In G20 meetings we have planned to bring Millet into the diet. It is nutritious and tasty as well. People should put efforts to bring Millet into their diet and make it a Millet movement," Rijiju said.

Taking to Twitter, Rijiju said, "I can't resist eating millets... Today, the entire staff in the Ministry of Law and Justice came together for the Millet Lunch to promote the International Year Of #Millets 2023 at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi."

Earlier on December 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with fellow Members of Parliament, enjoyed a lunch hosted by agriculture minister Narendra Tomar to mark Millet Year 2023.

Sitting alongside PM Narendra Modi while having the meal were agriculture minister Narendra Tomar, defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar and former prime minister HD Devegowda.

"We prepared delicacies including Roti and sweets made out of Jwar bajra and ragi for which chefs were specially brought in from Karnataka. I was delighted that the Prime Minister really enjoyed his meal here," Minister of State for agriculture Shobha Karandlaje told ANI.

Earlier, during the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, PM Modi laid emphasis on the celebration of International Millet Year 2023 and suggested ways to promote an ongoing nutrition campaign through millet.

On the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM).

The Government of India had notified millet as a nutritious- cereal in April 2018 and millet has also been included in the Poshan Mission campaign.

Under the National Food Security Mission (NFMS), a nutritious cereal component for Millet is being implemented in 212 districts of 14 States.

Asia and Africa are the major production and consumption centres of millet crops. India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the major producer of millet.

India is the major production country of Millet in which Kangni, Kutki or small millet, Kodon, Gangora or Barnyard, china and Brown top are included with Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and small millets. Most of the states in India grow one or more millet crop species. During the last 5 years, our country produced more than 13.71 to 18 million tonnes of millet with the highest production in 2020-21.