Health benefits: ‘Government is committed to supporting processed millet producers’

Kolkata: Promoting the positive health benefits, a conference on Millets and Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme was held in the city on Tuesday.

The inaugural session was graced by eminent personalities that included Secretary of Ministry of Food Processing Industries Anita Praveen, Additional Chief Secretary of the state Food Processing Industries and Horticulture Subrata Gupta, and Director General of Indian Chamber of Commerce Rajeev Singh, amongst others.

“The government is committed to supporting processed millet producers, fostering a beneficial partnership between the PMFME initiative and small-scale millet processing units. Generating awareness about millet supply, processing, and consumption is essential for its widespread adoption,” Gupta said. He added that to popularise millets, there needs to increase in outreach and introduction of millet-based dishes that resonate with people from different backgrounds.

“For instance, during Durga Puja, we can showcase millet-based food products in various pandals, reaching a large audience with minimal expenses,” he said.

Anita Praveen said: “Through Production Linked Incentive (PLI), we have introduced a special scheme for millets, which has already garnered the participation of 30 companies. We are now in the final stages of paperwork for another round of PLI for millet products. We encourage you to stay updated through our website to take advantage of this scheme when it launches.”