Context: The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently decided to introduce Millets, Shree Anna in the meals of personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

• Apart from that the Indian government has launched a first of its kind Millets Experience Centre (MEC) in collaboration with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).

• This initiative comes in light of the UNGA's declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023).

• Note: Millet has been referred to as ‘Shree Anna’ in Union Budget 2023-24.

Key Decision

• The decision to introduce 30 per cent Millets in the meals.

• The Ministry had asked all the forces to take action for the introduction of Millets based menu.

• The Ministry informed that Millets will also be made available in Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar, Grocery Shops of the campuses and Ration Store by setting up the dedicated counters and corners.

• The forces will organize training of cooks in preparing millets based dishes through reputed institutes in this field.

About Millets Experience Centre (MEC)

• The MEC is a unique concept that will promote millets as a versatile, healthy grain by showcasing its dietary benefits and offering customers a unique dining experience.

• Visitors to the center can purchase a variety of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products from local millet start-ups.

• The MEC will help widen the horizon for consumers who are actively looking for healthier alternatives.

Significance

• The establishment of the MEC is a step in the direction of India's goal to become a "Global Hub" for millet.

• The MEC will not only promote the dietary benefits of the ancient grain but also popularize millet as a nutritional powerhouse fit for cooking a variety of dishes such as millet dosa and millet pasta.

• This initiative will bring visibility to India's robust millet-based start-up community and will help in the recognition of the immense potential of millets as a versatile and healthy grain.

What is Millet?

• Millet is a collective term referring to a number of small-seeded annual grassesthat are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions.

• Examples: jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet), Kodo (Kodo millet), kutki (little millet), kakun (foxtail millet), Sanwa (barnyard millet), cheena (proso millet), kuttu (buckwheat) and chaulai (amaranth).

Positives of millets

• Nutritionally superior traits: Millet’s score over rice and wheat in terms of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibre content, as well as amino acid profile.

• For example,Bajra (pearl millet) has iron, zinc, and protein levels comparable to that of wheat, but it’s gluten-free and has more fibre.

• It can address the problem of “hidden hunger” arising from the consumption of energy-dense but micronutrients-deficient foods.

• The rotis from bajra make one feel fuller for longer, as they take more time to digest and do not raise blood sugar levels too fast.

Advantages as a crop

• Millets are hardy and drought-resistant crops.

• This has to do with their short duration (70-100 days, against 115-150 days for rice and wheat)

• Lower water requirement (350-500 mm versus 600-1,250 mm) and

• Ability to grow even on poor soils and in hilly terrain.

Government Intervention

• The Centre has two existing schemes:

1. Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman and

2. Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 — with a combined budget of Rs 30,496.82 crore in 2022-23.

• These can be better leveraged by making them more millets-focused.

• MSP procurement of milletsshould be part of a decentralized nutritional programme specifically targeting tomorrow’s citizens.

• Centre could fund any state willing to procure milletsspecific to their region exclusively for distribution through schools and anganwadis.