Uttarakhand: CM Dhami inaugurated the ‘Capacity and Opportunities’ National Conference organized under Millets-2023
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday inaugurated the ‘Capacity and Opportunity’ National Convention organized under Millets-2023 at a hotel in Mussoorie. The Chief Minister welcomed the guests from different states. He said that the brainstorming done by the experts in this conference would prove effective in making the International Millet Year a success. The Chief Minister said that on one hand millets are useful for the farmers because of their low cost efficiency, on the other hand, being full of nutrients, they are very essential for all of us in today’s changing environment. Such events will not only help in the promotion of millets, but will also encourage the cultivation of coarse grains in Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of great pride for us that only after India’s proposal and serious efforts, the United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Coarse grains are cultivated in abundance in many states of India, but earlier farmers did not get fair prices for it. Now the picture is changing, the reason for this is the changing attitude of the people towards millets. Today, many startups have also started in the country regarding millets, which are not only benefiting the farmers but also providing employment to the people. That’s why the Prime Minister has given it the noun of food. When we take a resolution forward, the responsibility of taking it to completion is equally important. Food is not limited to farming or eating only, those who are familiar with the traditions of India know that in our place “Shri” does not get attached to anyone just like that. Where there is “Shri” there is prosperity, there is integrity and there is victory.
The Chief Minister said that food is becoming the medium of overall development in India, in which villages and the poor are involved and now every citizen of the country is also getting involved. Food is the door to the prosperity of the small farmers of the country. He is the leader of the nutrition of crores of people of the country. The tribal society of the country is felicitated. Chemical free farming is a big base and helpful in dealing with the challenges of climate change. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government has made tireless efforts to make food a global movement. In the year 2018, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we had declared coarse grains as “nutritional grains”. Along with making people and farmers aware about its cultivation, the central government and the state government together have worked together to run a special campaign to generate interest in the market.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is working to encourage the farmers through government schemes to encourage the cultivation of millet in the hilly areas of the state. Coarse grains like Manduva, Jhangora, Chaulai are being procured from the farmers of the hilly districts of the state through the Cooperative Department and the Uttarakhand Agricultural Marketing Board at the minimum support price. Every year, the Cooperative and Marketing Board, by operating purchase centers in the hilly districts, purchases Manduwa, Jhangora, etc., from the farmers of the hilly districts, near their villages, and online payment is being made to the farmers in their accounts, this not only increases the income of the farmers. Not only is it increasing, farmers are also being encouraged to produce millet products. According to the climate of Uttarakhand, it is very important to encourage the cultivation of millet, so that our state gets the top position in millet production and becomes a partner in the economic development of the state. The Chief Minister called upon the people of the state to use millet products in folk festivals and festivals.
Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi said that this National Conference on Millets is being organized by the National Council of Agricultural Marketing Boards (Kausamb). Today, a new light has arisen in the whole world regarding coarse grains. Reflecting the far-reaching thinking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is a lot of enthusiasm among people regarding food in India. Millet feast has been organized twice in the state under the guidance of the Chief Minister. Millets are being promoted and farmers are being encouraged for this by organizing various conferences and seminars. The government has fixed the minimum support price of Manduve at Rs 35.78 under millets and is also being distributed to ration card holders through the public distribution system. The Agriculture Minister said that in the month of May, big programs will be organized to promote millets in Dehradun and Haldwani. A target has been set to double millet production by 2025.
On this occasion Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel, Kausamba Vice Chairman and Goa Mandi Parishad President Prakash Shankar, Assam Mandi Parishad President Manoj Baruh, Haryana Mandi Parishad President Aditya Devi Lal Chautala, Kausamba MD Dr. J. S. Yadav, MD of Uttarakhand Mandi Parishad Ashish Bhatgai and experts from different states were present.
