New Delhi:

Schools throughout the nation ought to introduce millet-based dishes of their canteens and put together a calendar of actions to spice up consciousness of the wholesome coarse cereals throughout the ongoing International Year of Millets, the schooling ministry has reminded all states and union territories.

The ministry wrote to all states and union territories in April, requesting them to share a month smart calendar of actions to create consciousness on millets, it mentioned in an announcement on July 5. “However, the information is still pending,” the ministry mentioned.

“Kindly instruct the concerned officials in your State/UT for taking suitable actions to adopt millet-based recipes in the canteens/mess of the schools/offices and promote their health and nutritious benefits as well as provide month wise calendar of activities to create awareness regarding use of Shree Anna for celebration of International Year of Millets to this Department at the earliest,” the ministry mentioned.

At India’s occasion, the United Nations declared 2023 as International Year of Millets, and the nation has since launched into a mission to popularise the coarse grains which might be each wealthy in micronutrients in addition to hardy.

Despite repeated requests, some states haven’t but knowledgeable the ministry concerning the actions and efforts they’re placing in making the millet 12 months a hit, an official mentioned, declining to be named. “The ministry has again requested the states to submit the details,” the official mentioned.

The ministry additionally requested the states to comply with a millet-based recipe e-book ready by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The ministry had final 12 months requested all states to incorporate millets within the free noon meal menus served to college students at authorities and government-aided faculties as much as class 8. It had additionally emphasised on rising consciousness about the usage of millets amongst college students and fogeys and the contribution of millets to meals safety and vitamin.