Poshak Anaj Award,2022

• 24 Sep 2022

Why in News?

At the Poshak Anaj Award, 2022 organized by IIMR, Government of India in Hyderabad on September 23, 2022, Telangana Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy awarded and honoured Chhattisgarh as the best emerging state for promoting millet.

Key Points

• On behalf of Chhattisgarh, this award was received by S.S. Bajaj, Special Managing Director of State Minor Forest Produce Association.
• The function also appreciated the pro-farmer policies of the Chhattisgarh government and efforts to promote cultivation of kodo, kutki and ragi in the state.
• It is noteworthy that according to the intention of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the cultivation of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi is being specially promoted in Chhattisgarh. On the initiative of the Chief Minister, Kodo, Kutki and Ragi have been included in the 'Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana' and its producing farmers are also being given input assistance of Rs 9,000 per acre as an incentive.
• Chhattisgarh is the only state in the country where kodo, kutki and ragi are being purchased at support price and its value addition work is also being done. Kodo-Kutki was purchased at the support price of Rs 3000 per quintal and Ragi was purchased by Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association at the rate of Rs 3377 per quintal.
• According to the intention of the Chief Minister, the cultivation of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi is being continuously expanded in the state, due to which the area under its cultivation in the state has increased from 69 thousand hectares to one lakh 88 thousand hectares.
• Keeping in view the promotion of millet cultivation, training to farmers, availability of high quality seeds and increase in productivity, 'Millet Mission' has also been started in the state from January 10, 2022. 14 districts of the state have also signed tripartite MoUs with IIMR Hyderabad under the Millet Mission with the efforts of Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association.
• Under the Chhattisgarh Millet Mission, a target has also been set to double the productivity of millet from 4.5 quintals per acre to 9 quintals i.e.
• It is worth mentioning that under the Chhattisgarh Millet Mission, its cultivation is being encouraged through cluster approach in Kanker, Kondagaon, Bastar, Dantewada, Sukma, Kabirdham, Narayanpur, Jashpur, Bijapur, Rajnandgaon, Surajpur, Balrampur, Koriya and Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi districts.
• IIMR Hyderabad has supported the training of farmers along with better seeds, technology for millet cultivation in the state. Appointments of millet advisors are also being made in 14 selected districts of Chhattisgarh.
• Under the Millet Mission, 46 thousand quintals of kodo, 2800 quintals of kutki and 5811 quintals of ragi have also been procured at the support price in the state in the last season. The millet-based integrated plant in Kanker district is being set up by Avani Ayurveda Pvt Ltd at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore with a processing capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes. This will encourage millets and provide employment to local youth.