Bhubaneswar: In order to ensure that people have millets as part of their dishes, the state government has decided to include millets in mid-day meal (MDM) programme in districts covered under District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scheme.
This decision was taken at a high power committee meeting on Odisha Millets Mission held under the chairmanship of Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mahapatra at Loka Seva Bhawan here, Thursday.
The nine districts covered under DMF are: Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada and Sundargarh, sources said.
The committee threw light on various aspects of Millets Mission and ways to strengthen the scheme across the state. Following distribution of ragi through the Public Distribution System (PDS) in seven districts during 2018-19, a survey will be conducted to get the feedback from the people.
Integration with different government programmes to increase millet consumption and market linkage with bigger agency for sustainability of millet cultivation were also discussed at the meeting.
Mahapatra emphasised on creating market linkage for millets through ORMAS. He also asked officials to enhance the consumption habit of the stakeholders for ragi.
This year, the state government has proposed to procure 1 lakh quintal ragi during Kharif season. Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) Pradipta Mohapatra suggested opening up of common procurement centres for paddy and millets. If this is not possible, sub-procurement centres can be created near the mandis, he stated.
Ragi ladoos will also be part of children’s diet at Anganwadi centres.
The National Conference on Nutri Cereal will be held here on World Food Day October 16 next at Krushi Bhawan.
Special Programme for Promotion of Millets in tribal areas of Odisha (Odisha Millets Mission) was launched by state government in 2017-18 in 30 blocks of 7 districts. It was extended to 72 blocks in 2018-19 covering 14 districts now.
The programme in 65 blocks of 13 districts is funded under State Plan while seven blocks of Keonjhar district are funded through DMF. The Centre has adopted Odisha Millets Mission as a model and advised all states to follow it.
