Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday launched the Maharashtra millet mission and said Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for this purpose.
The launch comes after a major push for millet by Prime minister Narendra Modi. The year 2023 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of the Millet, following a proposal by India.
Shinde said to ensure that the area of sowing of millets increases and farmers get the right price, Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for assisting the businesses involved in the processing of millets.
“This will lead to a rise in the production and also the sale (of millets), and create a value chain,” the chief minister said.
He hoped, through the millet mission, the younger generation will switch to foods made of eatables from junk food.
Shinde also said the state government has hiked the Minimum Support Price for millets including for jowar by 73 per cent, bajra by 65 per cent, and ragi by 88 per cent.
He said a Centre of Excellence has been established at Solapur with the help of the Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad.
Maharashtra Agriculture minister Abdul Sattar said efforts have been made to increase the production of millets.
