Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Monday inaugurated the two-day Regional Convention of North East States on the Available Millets in North Eastern Region of Bharat and its Benefit in Nutrition, Mid-Day Meal (MDM), Anganwadis and Take Home Raashan.
Addressing the event jointly organised by Central Agricultural University, Imphal and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), New Delhi, Governor Uikey noted the increasing importance of millets and stressed the need to discuss the role of millets in the present times, stated a release from the Raj Bhavan.
She mentioned that millets, which has been a staple food in many cultures for thousands of years, have gained popularity due to its high nutritional value and sustainability, it said.
Earlier considered to be the main food of the poor and tribal people, millets are widely used even in five-star hotels for its high nutritional value, the governor asserted.
She said that millets diet can be a nutritious food option for children as it can enhance the brain development and overall growth of children and also solve the problem of malnutrition in children, it emphasized. She maintained that the regional conference will facilitate in providing a platform for dialogue among all stakeholders to promote use of millets in improving child nutrition and develop collaborative work, it added.
She further went on to say that due to its high value, the Government of India declared 2018 as the National Year of Millets and the United Nations General Assembly in its 7th session declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the release stated.
Governor Uikey also stressed the importance of healthy lifestyles to continue on various aspects of life and shared her beliefs in organic foods, naturopathy for a healthy life, all the while urging all to stay healthy to make the nation healthy, it stated. She later inspected the exhibition stalls set up at the venue and lauded the participants for introducing millet-based products, it mentioned.
College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University (CAU) vice chancellor, Anupam Mishra; Dean, College of Food Technology, CAU, Ng Iboyaima Singh; Chairman MCPCR, Keisham Pradipkumar, Social welfare director, Ng. Uttam Singh; Senior Technical Expert, NCPCR, Shaista K. Shah and Dean College of Agriculture, CAU Professor Indira Sarangthem attended the event held at CAU Imphal, it added.
