The millets are getting a separate menu in parliament and 2023 has been termed the International Year of Millets.
The menu of Parliament House canteens will soon get a makeover, as this time millets are there to rule the menu alongside the all-time traditional favorites biryani and cutlets. There will be a variety of millet dishes available from ragi ladoo(made from finger millet), bajra khichdi (pearl millet porridge), jowar vegetable upma (sorghum vegetable semolina) to bajre ka choorma (black millet choorma).
International Year of Millets 2023
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets at its 75th session in March 2021.
The opening ceremony message at the Food and Agricultural Organisations of the United Nations for this was that the global agrifood systems face the challenge of a food crisis as it is unable to meet the demands of the hugely growing population of this world. Cereals like millet are an affordable and nutritious option and efforts need to be made to scale up cultivation on a global level.
By making this year the year of millets, it provides an opportunity to raise awareness about millets, their health, and nutritional benefits as well as their resilient nature which helps them to thrive under any adverse climatic situations. This year will also promote the sustainable production of millets as well as highlighting the market opportunities it can provide.
The Indian Government is way ahead of other countries as it is already the largest producer of millets in the world. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address said that every G20 event in India will feature millet dishes.
Millet Menu
Indian Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla has sought a special millet menu for the members of Parliament.
The millet menu already has a variety of dishes. For starters, it has bajre ki raab (Pearl millet soup), ragi ghee roast, ragi that idli, ragi dosa (all three made from finger millet), jowar vegetable upma (made from sorghum), and, for the main course, sarson ka saag (made from mustard greens) with makka (Maize flour) /bajra (pearl millet) /jowar ki roti (choose your bread), ragi poori (made from finger millet) with aloo ki sabzi (made with potato), mix millet khichdi and bajra khichdi (made with pearl millet) with garlic chutney. The desserts include kesari kheer (sweet saffron rice pudding), ragi walnut ladoo (made from finger millet), and bajre ka choorma.
The Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has been running the canteen since 2020. The menu has been prepared by ITDC’s executive chef Montu Saini and has been created in such a way that it reflects the diversity of the country’s culinary. Oats milk, soya milk, ragi dosa with peanut chutney (from the state of Kerala), bajra onion ka muthiya (from the state of Gujarat), shahi bajre ki tikki (from the state of Madhya Pradesh), among others, find their names in the menu.
Promotion of Millets
According to the Executive Chef, the millet menu is made from popular demand, that is, it drew from the response to the lunch in Parliament House during the Winter Session. It is found that the most sought-after dish was ragi walnut ladoo and bajre ki raab.
It was the honorable speaker Om Birla who suggested that the millet option be made available on the menu as he wanted to go beyond just spreading awareness on millets. He wanted all MPs to have healthy food options. Hence, millet dishes will be available in all Parliament canteens and at least one millet dish will be available in all the food outlets.
The parliament menu always had a few items in it but after 2023 was declared as the International Year of Millets, the consumption changed and people started asking for millets.
Millet production in India
The government has high hopes for millet production in India and hopes that it would help small farmers across the country. India is among the top five exporters in the world and is the largest producer of millets. India exported 15.92 million tonnes of millets in 2021-2022.
The major millet producing states in India are Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.
