Mission Millet Maktra For Health And Prosperity

During the separate state movement in Uttarakhand the slogan of "Mandua Jhangora Khayenge... Uttarakhand Rajya Banayenge" was very popular.

The slogan itself prooves that millets particularly Mandua and Jhangora have very special status in the life of people of the state.

Today the world is recognising these millets as super food but long before this happened, the millets were a part of staple food in the daily life of people of Uttarakhand.

That is the reason when the central government decided to promote the millets and made specific allocation in the current budget and also expected the states to work in this field, then within 2 weeks of the presentation of the union budget, the Uttarakhand government launched mission millets scheme. In this scheme 73 crore rupees has been allocated for promotion of marketing and production of Mandua in state. Out of these 73 crore rupees 53 crore rupees will be given to agriculture department and 20 crore to the cooperative society for this purpose.

United Nations has announced year 2023 as international year of millets.

The Uttarakhand government had sent a proposal to the Union Food and Public Distribution Department to procure Mandua for the crop year 2022-23, which had been approved by the central government.

After this the farmers will get better price of Mandua. State government has also decided that it will purchase Mandua from farmers through mandi and cooperatives. This will encourage the farmers for the production of Mandua. Under the scheme the Mandua will be purchased from farmers through cooperative societies at the rate of 35.74 rupees per kg. This will also encourage the millet farmers in hilly districts.

After the purchase, the Mandua will be distributed through PDS system, anganwadi and mid meal scheme. The bread of Mandua will be given to childern in mid day meal. Along with it another millet Jhangora will also be given in the mid day meal.