Chandigarh, December 27: Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that with the efforts of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, the United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2023 as the ‘International Millet Year’. It will promote the prevalent ancient diet of millets of India and thus it will also work as ‘diet is medicine’.

The Chief Minister was speaking after lunch during the ongoing winter session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here today. He said when there was a shortage of food grains in the country, the slogan of Green Revolution was given at that time. However, we managed to increase the production of food grains by using indiscriminate chemical fertilizers, but it had an adverse effect on our health, which we are still facing today, he said, adding that a healthy body is our biggest asset and that is why; we are moving towards organic and natural farming.

The Chief Minister said that in the public distribution system, millet was made available for three months in winter and now it will be made available for five months. Apart from this, millet will also be promoted in universities and other institutions where mass meals are prepared. He said that the government will do everything possible for the promotion of millet.

He also appreciated the efforts of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Sh. JP Dalal, with whose efforts delicious dishes of bajra, ragi and other millets were served during the session today. The Chief Minister also appreciated the NGO 'Kheti Virasat Mission', which has launched the programme ‘Mool Anaaj-Aahar se Aarogya’ to realize the vision of the Prime Minister. He said that millet will also be included in the dietician's course in Ayush and Ayurveda.

It is noteworthy that with the inspiration of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, food prepared from millets was first served in Parliament and today Haryana Vidhan Sabha has become the second such Assembly in the country where millet food was served in lunch in which little millet sweet potato kheer, ragi halwa, bajra roti, browntop millet sweet potato, barnyard moong khichri and kodo millet pulao, were some of the major dishes.