Dc Kathua  Rahul Pandey Inaugurated International year of millets : 2023

KATHUA, 24 January: In a step to lend support to the Government of India and initiative taken by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Sh. Narender Modi ,declaration of ‘2023’ as ‘International Year of Millets’, a program was hosted at Office Complex of Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua

Sh. Rahul Pandey, IAS, District Development Commissioner along with Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua Sh. Sanjeev Rai Gupta, inaugurated year round holistic International Millet Year 2023 ceremony in District Kathua. 

Sh. Rahul Pandey, IAS, District Development Commissioner Kathua said, increased focus on the needs to augment the income of small and marginal farmers and millet can be one of the best options for the same. He said, climate friendly crop millet can be grown with less water consumption, less carbon emission and even in drought. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is working in mission mode to increase millet production and consumption in collaboration with other stakeholder such as Women Self Help Groups and women entrepreneurs & organizations. Millets provide an alternative food system in times of increasing demand for vegetarian foods. Millets contribute to a balanced diet as well as a safe environment. These are the gifts of nature to mankind.

Sh. Sanjeev Rai Gupta , Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua said, it is a new initiative by the Department of Agriculture Production and Famers’ Welfare, Kathua for the upcoming year which is declared as International Millet Year 2023 by United Nations and Government of India.

Sh. Sanjeev Rai Gupta , Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua also said ,the area coverage under millets is very low, seeing the Nutritional value of millets, the Millets are also known as Nutri-Millets. Taking in to consideration, Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has formulated Plan for promotion of millets, its area expansion and value addition under Holistic development Program launched by Hon’ble L.G.(JK-UT) Sh . Manoj Sinha in the Union territory and the Department is working on mission mode at various level and also prepared plan to increase the area under millets in various blocks of the District.

During the occasion, “Multi millet flour” with high nutritional value under brand “Kathua Kheti” was also launched by Chief Guest District Development Commissioner Kathua , Sh. Rahul Pandey, IAS, in presence of Agriculture Officers and members of Women Self Help Group

Members of Women Self Help also participated in the program. Fried fritter (Pakoras & Tikkis) of Cheese, mushroom and sliced potato, marinated and laced with batter prepared with multi millet grain flour was served to the Chief Guest and other participants on the occasion.

Other present on the occasion were Sh. Murari Lal, District Agriculture Officer ( Ext), Sh. Vishal Mahajan, Head, KVK Kathua, Sh. Anil Kumar, Assistant Soil Chemist,Kathua, Sh. Bhabishan Singh, Subject Matter Specialist (District Level) Kathua, Sh. Raj Singh, Subject Matter Specialist (District Level) Kathua, Sh. Ashwani Kumar ,Mushroom Development Officer, Kathua, and other Officers/ Officials from also present on the ocassion.