Shillong, Oct 26: Two villages in Meghalaya have featured in the ‘Maan Ki Baat’ speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.
The Prime Minister during the speech mentioned about the importance of millets in the food culture of the North East region.
He also referred to the initiatives taken by two women of Khanduli village in West Jaiñtia Hills District and by a farmer of Sadolpara village in West Garo Hills District to revive millet cultivation.
According to Modi, millets have been an integral part of the local food culture of Khanduli village over many generations.
“Yet, for some time, the number of farmers cultivating millets had been on the decline. Amid that, two women friends from the village undertook a new initiative : they focused on creating new products from millets,” the Prime Minister said.
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According to Modi, the two women of Khanduli village lent value addition to millets by developing items such as cookies, cakes, and muffins, as well as baby foods.
“This led to an increase in the sales of millet-based products and a subsequent rise in the demand for millets themselves. Amid that, farmers there have also begun cultivating millets once again,” Modi said.
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The Prime Minister also mentioned about the initiatives of cultivating millets in Sadolpara village of West Garo Hills District. He referred to a local farmer named Chekjing Sangma who recognising the importance of millets, started cultivating these grains using modern methods.
“This has not only increased his (Sangma) income but has also fostered greater awareness within the village,” Modi stated.
