Using millets grown by small farmers akin to serving country: PM Modi tells BJP MPs

Mr. Modi noted that the United Nations had declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets on his government’s request as he had called for making the bouquet of grains high on nutrition a popular choice of food for people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extolled the virtues of millets and sports in improving the health of citizens to BJP MPs on a day when the government also hosted lunch for all Members of Parliament with a menu exclusively comprising dishes made with millets. He was addressing a meeting of the BJP’s parliamentary party when he made these remarks.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, briefing the media after the meetings, said the Prime Minister told BJP MPs that, “making millets, grown by most small farmers in the country, popular, amounts to serving the country”.

Mr. Modi noted that the United Nations had declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets on his government’s request as he had called for making the bouquet of grains high on nutrition a popular choice of food for people.

With tens of thousands of foreign delegates expected to attend a large number of meetings associated with the G-20, now being chaired by India, Mr. Modi said millets will be on the menu, and said they can be used in anganwadis, schools, homes and government meetings as well. He urged MPs to use millet items in the meetings they host. As over 85% of Indian farmers falling in the category of small farmers grow millets in large numbers, a rise in the consumption of these grains will help them financially, he noted.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also made a presentation on the upcoming G-20 summit, where India has just assumed the Presidentship.  

Mr. Modi also asked MPs to promote sports meets with a special focus on Indian games like kabaddi. Hosting sports meets has been a BJP initiative in the last few years, as well as that of the Central government, with initiatives such as “Khelo India”.