Odisha: Millet-based snacks likely soon in government meetings

BHUBANESWAR: The state agriculture department has requested all other government departments to serve millet-based snacks in their official meetings and conferences. The agriculture department has started serving such snacks during its meetings to promote the consumption of this nutritious crop.
The department's principal secretary Arabinda Kumar Padhee has made this request in a letter to additional chief secretaries/principal secretaries/secretaries of all departments on Wednesday. Agriculture minister Ranendra Pratap Swain has also tweeted about this. "To improve livelihoods of vulnerable rain-fed farmers by reviving millets in farms and plates, the state government is implementing the Odisha Millets Mission (OMM) in 19 districts," Padhee wrote in his letter.
"As part of the state's OMM initiative, Millet Shakti outlets have been established in Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Bhubaneswar to sell a variety of millet-based food products," the letter added.
Various types of millets, including barnyard, pearl, foxtail, kodo and sorghum, are produced in Odisha. Self-help groups prepare dosa, samosa, boondi laddu, coconut rice, mango rice, muduki, pakoda, halwa, modak, kheer, cookies and several other food products from these crops.