'Sumptuous,' says PM Modi after attending a millet-exclusive lunch at Parliament

The United Nations declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYOM 2023) on Tuesday at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters. In line with this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he "attended a sumptuous lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served".

"As we prepare to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets, attended a sumptuous lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served. Good to see participation from across party lines," tweeted PM Modi.

The kitchen ingredient, which is mainly a kharif crop in India, has many nutritional benefits and ensures sustainable production. It is rich in phytonutrients that help to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also rich in niacin, a B vitamin which manages more than 400 enzyme reactions in the body. It is healthy for the skin and organ functions and is an excellent source of beta-carotene, especially the darker varieties.

Millets have a low glycemic index, and therefore, it can help control blood sugar levels. This further makes it a great alternative to wheat and rice, which have a high glycemic index. This means they can spike the blood sugar level of the body, which might not be a suitable choice for diabetics.

It has a low carbon and water footprint and can grow relatively in poor soils under adverse and arid conditions with minimal inputs.

Interestingly, the lunch was hosted after the Parliament was disrupted as the BJP demanded an apology from the Congress over its President Mallikarjun Kharge's controversial comments Monday while hitting out at the BJP for mocking Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra as "Bharat todo (Divide India)".

Kharge on Monday said: "We gave freedom to the country and Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the unity of the country. Our party leaders gave their lives, what did you (BJP) do? Has even any dog in your house died for the country? Has (someone) made any sacrifice? No." At an Alwar rally, the Congress president said his party "won independence for the country", and its leaders like Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives.

The delicacies that were prepared on Tuesday included khichdi made out of millet, ragi dosa, ragi roti, jowar roti, bajra, Churma. The sweet delicacies included bajra kheer, amongt others.

Most of the states in India grow one or more millet crop species. During the last 5 years, our country produced more than 13.71 to 18 million tonnes of millet with the highest production in 2020-21.