Raipur, 08 July 2021. In view of the increasing demand for millets like Kodo, Kutki, Ragi in the country and abroad, Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel has given instructions to promote millet production in mission mode in the state. He has said that millet is produced in a large area in the state. Collection, processing and value addition of millets can generate good income with employment for farmers, women’s groups and youth. The Chief Minister gave these instructions in the review meeting of the Forest Department held at his residence office here today.
The Chief Minister has said that by increasing the area and production of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi, the consumption of millets can be increased in the state by preparing various products through processing. In the state, it is produced in some areas of Rajnandgaon, Kawardha and Bemetara and Surguja including Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Jagdalpur, Dantewada and Sukma. He said that to increase the production of millets, improved farming should be promoted by identifying millet clusters in selected development blocks. Women self-help groups should be linked with the cultivation of millets. He asked to include dishes prepared from Kodo, Kutki and Ragi in the dishes of Gadhkaleva.
The Chief Minister said that along with increasing the production, arrangements for marketing with millets should be ensured. Small processing units should be set up in the production villages and packaging units should be set up in one or two centers keeping in mind the hygiene.
To promote the cultivation of millets in the state, technical guidance will be given to provide machinery on rent for their cultivation and harvesting, supply of local and improved varieties of seeds, increase their production through Krishi Vigyan Kendras. It is noteworthy that the State Government has decided to purchase Kodo, Kutki at Minimum Support Price. It has also been included in the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. To provide nutritious food to children and women in Anganwadi centers in Kodo, Kutki and Ragi growing areas, Kodo khichdi and Ragi pudding are being provided. Apart from this, products like Ragi Laddu, Kodo, Kutki Murku, Poha can also be prepared from it. Which can be used in Anganwadi centers and mid-day meal programme. An initiative is being taken by the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation to take cooperation from the Indian Institute of Millet Research Hyderabad to promote the production of millet.
It was informed in the meeting that women self-help groups working in the collection and processing of minor forest produce have earned an additional income of Rs 501 crore in the last two years. The number of minor forest produce purchased on support price in the state has increased from 7 to 52. Similarly, the number of collectors has increased from 1.5 lakh to more than 6 lakh. The processing of herbal products has increased by 115 times. In the year 2018, 5400 quintals of minor forest produce was collected, which has increased to 6 lakh 21 thousand 176 quintals in the year 2021. The sales of herbal products have also doubled.
The meeting was attended by Forest and Climate Change Minister Mr. Mohammad Akbar, Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Shishupal Sori, Chief Secretary Mr. Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and Environment Mr. Subrata Sahu, Principal Secretary Forest Mr. Manoj Kumar Pingua, Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Siddharth Komal Singh. Pardeshi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief of Forest Force Shri Rakesh Chaturvedi, Managing Director, Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association Shri Sanjay Shukla, PCCF (Wildlife) Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, PCCF Forest Development Corporation Shri PC Pandey, PCCF Forest Research Shri Atul Shukla were present.
Raipur: Production of Kodo, Kutki, Ragi will be promoted in mission mode in Chhattisgarh- Shri Bhupesh Baghel
