The Central government has asked states to explore the possibility of introducing millets in mid-day meals of children under the PM Poshan Scheme, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Citing “critical” levels of malnutrition and anaemia among children, School Education Secretary Anita Karwal and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Secretary Sanjay Agarwal in a joint letter wrote that consumption of millets remains low due to lack of awareness and availability.
“The Government of India is taking a series of initiatives to ameliorate this. As per National Family Health Survey-IV, 38 per cent of children under five years of age are stunted and 59 per cent of children are anaemic, which is critical. Among one of the series of initiatives, to reduce malnutrition and anaemia, the Government of India is laying emphasis on consumption of millets,” they were quoted as saying in the report.
Millets -- such as Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi among others -- have a higher nutritional value compared to wheat and rice-based meals that are currently served.
Also read: Mid-Day Meal scheme to be now called PM Poshan, to cover students of pre-primary classes also
Last year, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant had also suggested introducing millets into the diet of the mid-day meal programme to improve India's low nutrition ranking.
The mid-day meal scheme was launched in 1995 with the aim to provide at least one nutritional meal to elementary students. It had later become instrumental in improving enrollments in schools.
(With PTI inputs)
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