The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today informed that, the details of millet production in terms of annual production and area under cultivation, State- wise, since 2014 are at Annexure-I-VI.
The area under cultivation of millets has ranged from 12.29 to 15.48 million hectares from 2013-14 to 2021-22.
To promote the consumption of millets/coarse grains, distribution period of these commodities has been enhanced to 6-10 months from earlier period 3 months. Further provisions of inter-state transportation and advance subsidy have been incorporated in the guidelines.
State Governments are also being requested repeatedly through written communications and in various meetings convened with them to procure millets and distribute under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Other Welfare Scheme (OWS).
For promoting millets, following steps taken by Government:
Millet Awareness Quizzes/Competition and Conferences are being conducted by Food Corporation of India and Central Warehousing Corporation of Department of Food and Public Distribution.
The Year 2023 is being celebrated as International Year of Millets-2023 for promotion of millets.
Millets has been termed as ‘Nutri-cereals’ owing to their health benefits.
All the offices/Central Public Sector Enterprises of Department of Food and Public Distribution have been directed to introduce and promote millets in their canteens.
Government of India fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for twenty-two (22) mandated crops based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) after considering the views of concerned State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments. The millets such as Ragi, Jowar and Bajra are covered under Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Government makes allocation of coarse grains (millets) under Public Distribution System (PDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWSs) including Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) and Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Schemes based on the requirement projected by the State Govts., Ministry of Women and Child Development and Department of School Education & Literacy subject to the availability of coarse grains (millets).