A national workshop on nutri-cereals was inaugurated by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy at the Krushi Bhawan here on Wednesday.
Tripathy said, "The Odisha Millet Mission was launched in the year 2017 and now it has been extended to 72 blocks in 14 districts in tribal areas. Odisha is also the first State to introduce millets in public distribution system. The Niti Aayog has recognised Odisha as a progressive model State in nutri-cereals. The National Millet Mission started in the year 2018 has provided further boost to the campaign in the State". Sri Tripathy added, "Farmer is the key stakeholder in millet production and consumption activities and as such, all activities of the Mission should be farmer centric".
Agriculture Production Commissioner Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra said, "The Odisha Milliet has become a model for other States. The Government of India has recommended other States to follow the Odisha model".
Agriculture and Farmer's Empowerment Secretary Sourav Garg said, "The State Government has already started procurement of surplus millet from the farmers. This year the procurement target has been enhanced to 1 lakh ton. The Government is planning for inclusion of suitable millets in ICDS, MDM and PDS.
Country Relations of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee said people of south and west Odisha possessed skill of millet production over generations. The high lands of the State have vast scope for millet cultivation as well. The ICRISAT would provide the technology and international best practices for improving productivity in the State.
On the occasion, 14 leading millet farmers from different millet growing districts along with representatives of leading NGOs Pragati and Pradhan were awarded.
