Millet Shakti Café opens in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: First exclusive Millet Shakti Café, a convergence of Mission Shakti and the Millet Mission Odisha was opened in Keonjhar Friday. On the occasion, different kinds of dishes made from millets were displayed. After millet cultivation, this initiative has created a concept – Farm to Plate to promote millet.

Inaugurating the café on a virtual mode the Minister of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti Tukuni Sahu said “It is a unique initiative by the Keonjhar district administration. It will help the farmers earn more from millet farming. We will take steps to open such types of café at Gram Panchayat level”.

Appreciating the efforts of the district administration and the whole millet team on this occasion, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Mission Shakti, Sujata R Karthikeyam said, “It will help women groups earn more and be empowered more. It has developed the concept of ‘Farm to Plate’ after the opening of the Millet Shakti Café. ”

Collector Keonjhar Ashish Thakre said, “An initiative has been taken to open such Cafés at 330 GPs by constructing Mission Shakti buildings. The objectives of the opening of the café are to promote healthy eating habits through indigenous products”. More than 10 millet-based hot cooked food items like millet drinks, packaged millet grains, dry and bakery items, ready to cook and ready to drink items will be available in this Quick Service Restaurant.

The project will also provide livelihood opportunities to women groups, as tweeted by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, a few days back. It will also promote consumption of millets.

Odisha Millets Mission was started in Keonjhar district in 2019. Millet farming is going on in mining affected villages of seven blocks like Banspal, Champua, Joda, Jhumpura, Harichandanpur, Hatadihi and Sadar in the district.

More than 4000 farmers have benefited from this programme. This has increased the income of farmers in the district. The Centre and the Niti Aayog have recognized the program. The program is running with the support of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) regarding inclusion of Ragi Laddus as morning snacks for pre-school children enrolled under ICDS in the district.

PNN