BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to deal with nutritional deficiency Odisha government has decided to promote large-scale production of millets in tribal pockets under Odisha Millet Mission . Under this mission millets will be procured from farmers and include these highly nutritious food items in various nutritional security programmes and schemes.“Millets are an integral part of tribal life and a staple diet of tribals of Odisha since time immemorial. Millets are grown mostly in rain deficit areas by the small and marginal farmers. I am happy to announce that to provide remunerative price to millets growing farmers and to improve the nutritional security, state government will procure millets and utilize them in government schemes,” said chief minister Naveen Patnaik here on Monday.An amount of Rs 100 crore will be spent during next year for this purpose, which will be scaled up in future. This will benefit around five lakh farmers especially in the rain deficit areas of the state, Naveen said.Under the Odisha Millet Mission 7444 acres of millet cultivation in 30 districts of seven districts have been started in 2017-18. The special programme will be extended to another 25 blocks in four new districts.“Rs 126.65 crore will be spent to revive millet farming over a period of five years under which farmers will be incentivised for growing millets through direct benefit transfer,” an official source said.Government has also planned to introduce minor millet like little millet (suan) and foxtail millet (Kangu) in Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS) and Mid-day meal programme in phased manner in nine districts of the state covering 26 lakh children. “Millet meals will be served as khichdi and upma under the ICDS and MDM programme twice a week,” the officer said.Besides, sale outlets of millet based programmes will be set up at 26 locations in Bhubaneswar and an awareness campaign will be launched from May 1, 2018. Various food items produced in millets like halwa, vada, dosa, pakoda, biscuits and cakes are being promoted among urban people through different events.Sources said, Ragi has 34 times more calcium than rice, Suan has 13 times more iron than rice, and Kangu also has 4 times more iron and many times micro nutrients required for good health.

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