DCSA Veditha Reddy Inaugurates Millet Mela Organised by Food Safety Department

Details

Port Blair, March 26: A Millet Mela was organized by the Food Safety Department at Marina Park, Port Blair today. The mela was inaugurated by Ms. Veditha Reddy, IAS, Commissioner Food Safety, A&N Islands in the presence of Shri Dilkhush Meena, IAS, Joint Commissioner (Food Safety)/ADM and Shri Vinayak Chamadia, IAS and officials of Food Safety Department. In her inaugural speech, the Commissioner Food Safety greeted the gathering assembled in huge number for celebrating International Year of Millets in this Union Territory. She appealed the gathering to adopt millets in their daily diets and get the required nutrition as well as other health benefits. She further visited various millet stalls displayed by various Government Departments, Self Help Groups, NABARD and other Food Business Operators and appreciated their efforts for promoting millet consumption.

Earlier, the Joint Commissioner (FS) welcomed the gathering and briefed about the importance of Millets in daily life.

The UN General Assembly has declared the year 2023 as International Year of Millets. The mela was aimed to sensitize people to learn about the benefits of indigenous millets and other ingredients as well as to encourage people to use millets innovatively.

Through an info-graphic show the nutritional benefits of various millets was displayed followed by Nukkad Nataks and cultural programmes. Best three millet stalls were adjudged by a panel of judges. The stall of Netaji Self Help Group bagged the first position. The stall of Smti. Lini Thomas stood second and Pearl Educated Women’s Co.op Society won the third position.

To bring awareness on the importance of millets, the Food Safety Department distributed IEC materials on millets and millet based recipes. Various millet grains as well as millet based dishes were also displayed at the venue through the Food Safety Departmental stall. Huge crowd was found enjoying the delicious millet dishes sold through the millet stalls. People in large numbers also enjoyed the nukkad natak and cultural programmes based on the theme ‘Benefits of millets in daily life’.