Coimbatore is all set to organize its debut Millet 2023 Conference, across the country, the ministry of women and child development has further encouraged all states and Universities to incorporate millets in the recipe to engage the nutritional quality of the meal provided under the supplementary nutrition program of anganwadi services. The Government of India has launched a set of seven sutras in the run-up to millet 2023 and has allotted different government departments for the same.
The seven sutras outline in areas of production, nutrition and health benefits. The main schemes include value addition processing, awareness creation, branding labelling, promotion, international outreach policy and intervention. Nutrition and health benefits will focus on generating awareness regarding health and nutrition benefits by developing mass campaigns such as eat right campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, N.Suresh Babu, Director- HRDC, Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore said, “The UGC has requested higher educational institutions to take up activities and celebrate the International year of Millet 2023 and action plan. The Govt. of India has initiated the revival of millets in the last few years and had declared 2018 as the national year of millets to raise awareness about its health benefits and boost millet production.”
Millets were included under our Prime Minister Poshan Abhiyaan in the same year overreaching the scheme for holistic nutrition. Under the Poshan Abhiyaan scheme, every year September is celebrated as Rashtriya Poshan Maas or nutrition month.
Prof. Suresh Babu highlighted, “I would like to thank Dr Sevak Vijay policy maker of India for initiating and ideating the Millet Center for Excellence in Bharathiyar University. The mission of the Millet Center for excellence in Bharathiyar University is to create a self-reliant India.”
However, it is important to examine the efficiency of strategy from viewpoint of the present scenario of sector-wise supply trend issues related to the management of challenges, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in each sector in order to attain a superior position.
N.Suresh Babu explained “Recently, the Government of India and National Institute of Research for Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA) have constituted a high-level committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Sevak Vijay for field operations project of commercial agriculture. Dr. Sevak Vijay, Chairman Naturopathy and Yoga Kendra Clinic, is a renowned social thinker who has devoted more than 25 years for the betterment of society, has been involved in the grassroots initiates and we are happy that he is leading this commercial agriculture initiative. I would also like to acknowledge the support of Dr.Manivel, HOD, Commercial Agriculture, Govt. of India for formulating high-level committees on commercial agriculture. A special note of thanks to Hon. Secretary, UGC, Govt. of India for implementing the millet movement in India.”
