Union Minister for Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav has said the world has resolved to recover together and to make the recovery a human centric process. Addressing L20 inception meeting being held in Amritsar virtually he said we need to collectively ensure that our workers are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in this dynamic environment.

Shri Yadav said universal social security and its portability across the world is an important issue that we must focus on. He said particularly  the informal sector must be brought under the ambit of social security. There has to be sustainable mix of social insurance and social assistance schemes for social security, he added.

Keeping in line with vision of ‘Nari shakti’ or ‘Women Power’ of Prime Minister Shri Yadav said women’s participation in labour force has to be enhanced which would in turn lead to creation of equitable, inclusive and developed society.

The Minister said G20’s theme of ‘VasudhaivaKutumbakam’ signifies the concept of one earth, one family and one future. He saidPrime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making G20 decisive and action oriented inspires and propels us to achieve concrete outcome for G20 meetings.

Shri Yadav said over the years, the G20 and L20 meetings have attempted to address the issues of labour market challenges through a variety of policy initiatives that have been widely agreed upon. In addition, the emergence of digital technology and technological transformation have resulted in unprecedented changes in the world of work, including the rise of new forms of employment, digitalization, the gig economy, skill deficits etc.

Shri Yadav said L20 under the aegis of G20 chose very concrete and relevant themes such as universal social security, portability of social security fund, increasing women’s participation in labour force and future of work. He said he was sure that all the trade unions across G20 countries will come out with actionable outcomes. The Minister said assumption of G20 presidency by India is a landmark event and gives us the opportunity to deal with the challenges of the world in a collective manner.

“Digital solutions hold the capacity to revolutionize the healthcare delivery systems. Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, India aims to launch a global initiative on digital health as an institutional framework. This framework aims to converge the global efforts for digital health and scale up digital solutions with use of cutting-edge technologies. It is time to move from ‘Silos to Systems’ with collaboration of all countries for enhanced coverage and quality of healthcare services.” This was stated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare as he virtually addressed the “Global Conference on Digital Health – Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen” a co-branded event under India’s G20 Presidency organised by WHO – South-East Asia Region in collaboration with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

Highlighting the importance of digital health, Dr. Mandaviya stated “Digital health is a great enabler in delivery of healthcare services and has the potential to support overall universal health coverage targets.” He further added that national health policies proved instrumental for various path-breaking digital health intervention ensuring availability, accessibility and affordability, and equity of health services.

Dr. Mandaviya elaborated that through this initiative, “we are building consensus on promotion of digital public goods as a key enabler in achieving universal health coverage targets through customization and democratization of technologies.”

Addressing the challenges in universalization of digital health and enabling of equitable access to healthcare services across the world, particularly for low- and middle-income countries, the Health Minister added that “Aligned with the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India provided Co-Win, E-sanjeevani, and Aarogya Setu applications as digital public goods exemplifying our commitment to global health and our role in driving equitable access to critical health solutions”.

Reiterating India’s commitment towards Universal Health Coverage, the Health Minister cited digital interventions have become the foundations of many crucial health programs such as reproductive child healthcare, Ni-kshay, TB control program, integrated disease surveillance system, hospital information system among many others. He further added that India’s adoption of digital health as a critical intervention from the onset of the pandemic became a defining juncture as it enabled healthcare services to a wide range of services with ease, reaching the innermost regions of the nation. Citing the examples of e-Sanjeevni, a tele-consultation platform which has crossed 100 million teleconsultations, the vaccine management drive achieving administration of more than 2.2 billion doses, and of Prime Minister Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) that provides health insurance to 500 million citizens free of cost in a cashless and paperless manner, Dr. Mandaviya emphasized that “implementation of digital technology has forever changed the dynamics of healthcare delivery”.

“While Governments around the world are already making significant investments to leverage technology successfully to improve health outcomes, there is still a long way to go in order to achieve sustainable and scalable outcomes. India accordingly under its G20 Presidency has prioritized Digital Health as a specific priority in its Health Working Group namely- “Digital Health Innovation and Solutions to aid UHC and improve Healthcare Service Delivery”. It aims to align, support, and converge efforts, investments and promotes the concept of digital public health goods to aid Universal Health Coverage”, he further added.

Union Health Secretary, Shri Rajesh Bhushan explained various digital health solutions, which India has adopted during the pandemic – Aarogya Setu, E-Sanjeevani, iGot Digital platform and Co-WIN. He noted that digital health with its transforming potential can not only improve service delivery but can also help continuity of care across primary, secondary and tertiary levels through creation of longitudinal electronic health record of the citizens. “Digital Health interventions are supporting the acceleration of health transformation and have a huge potential for supporting Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The effective implementation of digital technologies in health can support in terms of establishing efficient, well-functioning health systems, and empowering patients”, he added.

Accentuating the role of India in leading Global Digital Health Agenda, Shri Lav Aggarwal, Additional Secretary informed that India introduced World Health Assembly Resolution on Digital Health at its 71st session in Geneva which was successfully adopted by countries and spurred global action on the agenda of digital health. Post creation of a Department of Digital Health & Innovation at WHO, a Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-25 in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has also been developed, he informed.

Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO-SEARO applauded India’s E-Sanjeevani, digital health solution which helped more than 100 million teleconsultations. She said that digital health solutions ensure democratisation of health services & innovations with specific focus on low and low-middle income countries (LMICs). She also suggested to establish digital health infrastructure, build on institutional platform and citizen-driven digital health ecosystem.

Professor Alain Labrique, Director, Digital Health and Innovation, WHO focused on the need of people centered digital solution taking care of equity and inclusion for marginalized community and digital divide.

The global leaders and health development partners, health policy makers, digital health innovators and influencers, academia and other stakeholders from around the world were also present at the conference.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi praised the Video shared by German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Dr Philipp Ackermann, where he and members of the embassy celebrated Oscar success of the Nattu Nattu song. The video was shot in Old Delhi.

Earlier in February, Korean embassy in India also came out with a video celebrating the song

Reply to the German Ambassador’s tweet, the Prime Minister tweeted :

“The colours and flavours of India! Germans can surely dance and dance well!”

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of the District Bank Headquarters and inaugurated the APMC Kisan Bhavan at Krishi Shivir in Junagadh, Gujarat, today.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that after many difficulties, the present form of Junagadh District Cooperative Bank has emerged. He said that the farmers who are engaged in natural farming will get good prices for their produce. Shri Shah said that since independence, the demand for a separate Ministry of Cooperation was continuously raised and fulfilling this demand of the people associated with the cooperative sector of the country, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has formed the Ministry of Cooperation.

The Union Minister of Cooperation said that after the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has taken many important decisions to take cooperatives forward. He said that natural farming would be the only alternative to serve the mother earth in the coming days as the continuous use of DAP and Urea would make earth like concrete in next 25 years. He said that DAP and urea kill positive bacteria like earthworms and having bacteria in the fields will not have any fossil and insects problems and there will be no requirement to spray any kind of insecticide. He said that our ancestors knew agriculture, but we thought that by adding urea, crops will grow and as result, our land got polluted. He said that now millions of farmers are adopting natural farming and getting its benefits. He said that by doing natural farming, the yield increases, rain water gets harvested, pesticides are not used and production also increases, which gets good prices in market. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched a campaign to promote natural farming in the entire country.

Shri Amit Shah said that the Union Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has recently taken an important decision and established three national level Multi-State Cooperative Societies. He said that out of these three societies, two are very useful for the farmers of Gujarat. Under one of these societies, the products of all the farmers doing organic farming will be taken under the patent of Amul and its profit will be directly transferred to the bank account of farmers. Shri Shah said that after the full implementation of this system, we will be able to save our land from the use of urea and DAP and our body from diseases like cancer caused by their use. The water level will rise and the environment will also be saved. He urged all the farmers present in the program to meet the farmers doing organic farming and adopt it.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has also made provision of a cooperative society for the export of crop produce. The Multi-State Cooperative Export Society will serve as an export house for the export of any farmer’s produce in the country and its benefit will reach directly to the bank account of the farmer. He said that with the implementation of this system, the prosperity of the farmers will increase. Shri Shah said that it has also been decided that a Cooperative Society will be formed in every Panchayat of the country. He said that arrangements have been made to ensure that Cooperative, Dairy and Fisheries Production Society are registered as one type of society.

Shri Amit Shah said that farmers can get many benefits through cooperatives. He said that because of a strong cooperative structure all the schemes of the Government of India will start reaching all. He said that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is determined not only to double the income of the country’s farmers, but also to increase it manifold in the next 10 years. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has also taken new initiatives in the agriculture sector, such as Kisan Credit Card, FPO, Krishi Sinchai Yojna, maximum purchase on MSP. The government has made the country’s farmers prosperous through new Ministry of Cooperation.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar held bilateral meetings today with Agriculture Ministers of various countries participating in the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference. An MoU was also signed with the World Food Programme  (WFP) of the United Nations. Meanwhile, Shri Tomar thanked the ministers for being a part of the global conference organized by India with the aim of promoting Shree Anna, under the International Year of Millets (IYM). He said that the International Year of Millets is being celebrated so that the Indian Shree Anna, its recipes and value-added products are accepted globally as a people’s movement. He hoped to further strengthen India’s agricultural ties with various countries.

In a meeting with Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Mr. Zulfikar Mustafa, Union Minister Shri Tomar recalled the visit of the President of Guyana, Dr. Mohammad Irfan Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdev to India and said that agriculture is a very important area of cooperation between the two countries. Expressing happiness over the steady progress in India-Guyana relations, he hoped for concrete cooperation in Agriculture and allied sectors. Shri Tomar congratulated Guyana for the huge crude oil discovery, saying that this would enable Guyana to establish itself as a major energy exporter, which has the potential to transform the lives of its people. Expressing immense potential for cooperation in Agriculture and Agro-Processing Industries between India and Guyana, he said that the two countries complement each other as Guyana has vast arable land and water availability and India has the technology, expertise and skilled manpower, which will mutually benefit both the countries. India is keen to share its expertise and experience in the development of agriculture and allied sectors in Guyana, for which an MoU is under finalisation. He assured that Guyana’s request for deputation of two experts to ITEC from India for three years to support the Guyana Sugar Corporation management and revive the sugar estates/plants in Guyana would be considered at the earliest.

Shri Tomar, in a meeting with Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Shri Parmanand Prahlad Sewdien, said that India and Suriname share close, warm and friendly relations, which have been strengthened by cultural and people-to-people contacts over the course of 150 years. He wished success to the celebrations of the 150^th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, and expressed confidence that the official visit of President Santokhi to India in January 2023 would take our bilateral relations to a new high. Expressing happiness and pride, he said that Hindi is spoken on a large scale in Suriname. Like India, Suriname is also a country of multi-ethnicity and diversity, where people live in peace and harmony. As per the discussion held during the second meeting of the Joint Working Group on Agriculture, Shri Tomar hoped that the draft Joint Action Plan for 5 years (2023-27) would be ready soon and said that we will provide wood export facility from Suriname to India. India’s exports of agri-related goods to Suriname in 2021-22 was USD 4.34 million. There are more possibilities to increase trade and investment, especially in agro-food processing. Under India’s flagship programmes, development partnership, India is committed to provide technical assistance to Suriname as needed, contribute to capacity building and skill development of human resources. Shree Anna is the ideal solution to make countries self-reliant and reduce dependence on imported grains. India can start agricultural cooperation projects, if offered by Suriname, as well as depute agricultural scientists under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programs to conduct studies for the cultivation of Shree Anna in Suriname.

In a meeting with the Agriculture Minister of Zambia, Mr. Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Union Minister Tomar said that India and Zambia have had cordial relations for a long time. The leaders of Zambia’s freedom struggle drew inspiration from the leaders of India’s freedom struggle, especially Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji continues to inspire its leaders and the younger generation in Zambia. Zambia is one of the few African countries that has benefited greatly from India’s development cooperation programme. India provides scholarships for various higher education courses and ITEC training slots as well as special capacity building programs under the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) along with Exim Bank credit, Railway Wagons, Flood Relief Grant and Line of Credit. Zambia, with its rich natural resources, has become an important destination for Indian investments in various sectors. India is one of the leading investors in Zambia with committed investments of over US$ 5 billion. Bilateral trade between India and Zambia has been growing steadily. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in India for trade and investment with Zambia, but again logistics and the small size of Zambia’s economy remain the main constraints and limiting factors.

In a meeting with Mauritius’ Minister for Agri-Industry and Food Security, Mr. Manish Gobin, Shri Tomar said that India shares close, long-standing ties with Mauritius for historical, demographic and cultural reasons. People of Indian origin comprise about 70% of the island’s population of 1.2 million. Mauritius is one of the few important countries with which independent India established diplomatic relations even before the independence of Mauritius in 1948. There is a high level of trust and mutual understanding between the leaderships of the two countries, which is reflected in continued high-level political engagement. This special relationship has resulted in exceptionally close cooperation in maritime security, development partnership, capacity building and cooperation in international fora. The enduring cultural and people-to-people relations between India and Mauritius are nurtured by the Indian Cultural Center in Mauritius (India’s largest in the world) and the World Hindi Secretariat, a bilateral organization for the promotion of Hindi. India is among the largest trading partners of Mauritius. Bilateral trade grew by 69% to reach USD 786.72 million in 2021-22.

The topics of agriculture were discussed in the meeting between Shri Tomar and Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, Agriculture Minister of Sri Lanka. Shri Tomar said that a significant proportion of the population in India and Sri Lanka depend on agriculture and both sides have very similar priorities for taking this sector forward. Thus cooperation between the two sides in the agriculture sector becomes natural. India has traditionally been one of Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners and Sri Lanka is one of India’s largest trading partners in SAARC.

During the global conference, the MoU between WFP and the Government of India for cooperation between 2023-2027 was signed in the presence of Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar. During this, Mr. Manoj Juneja, Deputy Chief Executive Director, Management and Chief Financial Officer of UNWFP and Ms. Elizabeth Faure, WFP Representative and Country Director in India were present. The MoU will be jointly implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. Shri Tomar lauded the work of WFP in promoting food self-sufficiency and supporting governmental and global efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the challenge of hunger. He thanked the WFP for being a part of the Global Millets Conference and expressed the hope that the partnership between WFP and the Government of India will yield fruitful results to achieve our goals.

Shri Tomar at the live cooking counter and ice cream made from Shree Anna:

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, who arrived at the exhibition organized during the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference organized as part of the International Year of Millets – 2023, relished the delicious ice cream made from Shree Anna and complimented its stall operator for this innovation. Shri Tomar also prepared an Asian salad with the Indian Shree Anna at the live cooking counter of the Indian Federation of Culinary Association and tasted it himself as well as served it to Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary and Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja among others. The dignitaries also visited other stalls. Students from schools and colleges have gathered to see the exhibition. Thousands of children came here during the last two days.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP) today in a virtual mode. The foundation stone for the construction of this pipeline was laid by both Prime Ministers in September 2018. Numaligarh Refinery Limited has been supplying petroleum products to Bangladesh since 2015. This is the second cross-border energy pipeline between India and its neighbours.

Cooperation in the power and energy sector has become one of the hallmarks of India-Bangladesh relations.  IBFP is the first cross border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh with a capacity to transport 1 Million Metric Ton Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) to Bangladesh. Enhanced connectivity with Bangladesh will further strengthen people to people linkages between two sides.

Bangladesh is India’s top-most development partner and its largest trade partner in the region. The operationalisation of the Friendship Pipeline will enhance ongoing energy cooperation between the two countries and will further growth in Bangladesh, particularly in the agriculture sector.

Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her constant guidance on the project and expressed his wish to continue working with her for the benefit of the people of the two countries.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference at Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, IARI Campus, PUSA New Delhi today. The two-day global conference will have sessions on all important issues related to millets (Shree Anna) like promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other stakeholders; millets’ value chain development; health and nutritional aspects of millets; market linkages; research and development etc.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated and visited the Exhibition cum Buyer Seller Meet Pavilion. He also unveiled a Commemorative Stamp and Commemorative Coin. This was followed by the Prime Minister digitally launching a compendium of Indian Millet (Shri Anna) startups and a book of millet (Shri Anna) standards.

International leaders conveyed their messages on the occasion. President of Ethiopia, H.E. Sahle-Work Zewde congratulated the Government of India for organizing the event. She said that millets provide an affordable and nutritious option to feed the people in these times. Ethiopia is an important millet-producing country in Sub-Saharan Africa. She underlined the utility of the event for highlighting the policy attention needed for the propagation of millets and studying the suitability of the crops as per their ecosystem.

H.E. Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana said that India has assumed global leadership in promoting the cause of millets and in doing so it is placing its expertise for the use of the rest of the world. He said that the success of the International Year of Millets will go a long way in achieving SDGs. Guyana has recognized millets as a key factor in ensuring food security, he informed. Guyana is embarking on a collaboration with India for scalable production of millet by earmarking 200 acres of land for exclusive millet production where India will provide technical guidance and support with technology.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone on the organisation of the Global Millets Conference and said that such events are not just a necessity for the global good but also a symbol of India’s responsibilities towards the global good. Highlighting the importance of turning a resolution into a desirable outcome, the Prime Minister reiterated that the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets by the United Nations after persistent efforts by India. He expressed delight that India’s campaign is a significant step in this direction when the world is celebrating the International Year of Millets. The Prime Minister highlighted that brainstorming sessions will be held on topics such as the farming of millets, millets economy, health benefits, and farmers’ income among others with the active participation of Gram Panchayat, Krishi Kendras, schools, colleges and agricultural universities along with the Indian embassies and several foreign countries. He also informed that more than 75 lakh farmers are virtually connected to this programme today. The Prime Minister also highlighted the unveiling of a commemorative coin and a postal stamp to mark the occasion along with the book launch on millet standards and the declaration of the Indian Institute of Millets Research of ICAR as a Global Centre of Excellence.

The Prime Minister asked the delegates to visit the exhibition at the venue and understand all the dimensions related to millet farming under one roof. He expressed his appreciation for the youth’s initiative to bring startups for millet-related enterprises and farming. “This is an indication of India’s commitment to millets”, he said.

The Prime Minister informed the foreign delegates about India’s branding initiatives for millets as India now calls millets – Shree Anna. He elaborated that Shri Anna is not limited to just food or farming. Those acquainted with Indian tradition will understand the importance of prefixing Shree before anything. “Shree Anna is becoming a medium of holistic development in India. It is linked with Gaon as well as Garib (Village and the poor)”. Shree Anna- a door to prosperity for the small farmers of the country, Shree Anna – the cornerstone of nutrition for crores of countrymen, Shree Anna – felicitation of Adivasi Community, Shree Anna- getting more crops for less water, Shree Anna – a big foundation for chemical-free farming., Shree Anna – a huge help in fighting climate change,” he added.

Underlining the consistent efforts of the government to turn Shree Anna into a global movement, the Prime  Minister informed that millets were declared nutri-cereals in 2018 where work was carried out on all levels from making the farmers aware of its benefits to generating interest in the market. The Prime Minister noted that millets are primarily cultivated in 12-13 different states in the country where at-home consumption per month per person was not more than 3 kilograms whereas the consumption has increased to 14 kilograms per month today. He also informed that the sale of millet food products has also seen a boost of roughly 30%. He also noted the inception of millet cafes apart from social media channels dedicated to recipes on millets. “Millets have also been selected in 19 districts of the country under the ‘One District, One Product’ scheme”, Shri Modi added.

Informing that about 2.5 crore small farmers are directly involved in the production of millets in India, the Prime Minister noted that they faced the challenges of climate change even though they own very little land. “India’s Millet Mission – The campaign for Shri Anna will prove to be a boon for 2.5 crore farmers of the country”, the Prime Minister said. He pointed out that it is the first time after independence that the government has taken care of 2.5 crore small farmers who grow millets. Noting that millets are now reaching stores and markets through processed and packaged food items, the Prime Minister underlined that the income of these 2.5 crore small farmers will increase when the Shree Anna market gets a boost, thereby giving strength to the rural economy. The Prime Minister informed that more than 500 startups working on Shree Anna have come up and a large number of FPOs are also coming forward in the last few years. He also pointed out that a complete supply chain is being developed in the country where women from self-help groups in small villages are making millet products that are making their way into malls and supermarkets.

Highlighting India’s motto of One Earth, One Family, One Future for the G-20 Presidency, the Prime Minister underlined that considering the whole world as one family is also reflected in the International Millet Year. “India has always given priority towards the feeling of duty towards the world and the resolve to serve humanity”, the Prime Minister said. Giving the example of Yoga, the Prime Minister said that India has ensured that the benefits of Yoga reach the whole world through International Yoga Day. He expressed delight that today yoga is being promoted in more than 100 countries of the world and more than 30 countries in the world have given recognition to Ayurveda as well. He also threw light on the International Solar Alliance and said that it is working as an effective platform for building a sustainable planet where more than 100 countries have joined the movement. “Be it leading the LiFE mission or achieving climate change goals ahead of schedule, India draws inspiration from its heritage, drives change in society, and brings it to the fore of global well-being”, the Prime Minister remarked as he noted that a similar impact can be witnessed in India’s ‘Millet Movement’ today. Giving examples of Shree Anna such as Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Sama, Kangni, Cheena, Kodon, Kutki, and Kuttu that are prevalent in different regions of India, the Prime Minister said that millets have been a part of the lifestyle in India for centuries. The Prime Minister emphasized that India wants to share its agricultural practices and its experiences related to Shree Anna with the world while also learning from other countries. He specially requested the Agriculture Ministers of the friendly nations present here to develop a stable mechanism in this direction and emphasized that a new supply chain should be developed with shared responsibilities from field to market and from one country to another.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the climate resilience of millets and informed that they can be easily produced even in adverse climatic conditions. He informed that it is a preferred crop for water-stressed areas as it requires relatively less water to produce. He also noted that millets can be grown naturally without chemicals and thereby safeguards the health of both humans and the soil.

Touching upon the food security challenges faced in the world of today, the Prime Minister highlighted the challenge of food security for the poor in the Global South and diseases linked to food habits in the Global North. “On one hand we have the problem of food security, and on the other hand the problem of food habits”, he said as he pointed out the concerns about heavy use of chemicals in the produce. The Prime Minister remarked that Shree Anna provides solutions to every such problem as it is easy to grow, its cost is also less in this, and it gets ready for cultivation faster than other crops. The Prime Minister listed the benefits of Shree Anna and said that it is rich in nutrition, special in taste, high in fibre content, very beneficial for the body and health, and helps in preventing lifestyle-related diseases.

“Millets bring with them endless possibilities”,  the Prime Minister remarked. Informing that the contribution of Shree Anna to the national food basket in India is only 5-6 percent, the Prime Minister urged the scientists and experts in the agriculture sector to work towards increasing this contribution and suggested setting achievable targets for every year. He also noted that the country has also started a PLI scheme to give a boost to the food processing sector. The Prime  Minister emphasized the need to ensure that the millet sector gets maximum benefit from it, and more companies come forward to make millet products. He also added that many states have included Shree Anna in their PDS system and suggested that other states follow suit. He also suggested including Shree Anna in the mid-day meal so that children can get proper nutrition while also adding a new taste and variety to the food.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that all these issues will be discussed in detail and a roadmap will also be prepared for implementation. “With the joint efforts of the farmers and all stakeholders, food will add a new shine to the prosperity of India and the world”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for External Affairs, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal and Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary and Ms Shobha Karandlaje were present on the occasion among others.

Background

Based on India’s proposal, the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets (IYM) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to make the celebrations of IYM 2023 a ‘people’s movement’ and position India as the ‘global hub for millets’, all central government ministries/departments, states/UTs, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses and other stakeholders are being engaged to promote and spread awareness about the benefits of millets (Shree Anna) for the cultivator, consumer and climate. The organization of the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in India is an important programme in this context.

The two-day global conference will have sessions on all important issues related to millets (Shree Anna) like promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other stakeholders; millets’ value chain development; health and nutritional aspects of millets; market linkages; research and development etc. The conference will be attended by Agriculture Ministers of various countries, international scientists, nutritionists, health experts, start-up leaders and other stakeholders.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah attended the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organized by the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) as the chief guest at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, today. Several dignitaries including Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Patel were present on the occasion.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that dairy is a business for the world but in a country like India with a population of 130 crore, it is a source of employment, an alternative to strengthen the rural economy, a solution to the problems of malnutrition and a sector of immense potential for women empowerment. He said that since India’s independence if we look at the development of the dairy industry, then it is evident that the dairy sector has aptly linked all these aspects with the development of the country. Shri Shah said that the Cooperative Dairy which worked has for the prosperity of the farmers, has hugea contribution in this. Cooperative dairy has paved the path for making the country’s poor women farmers self-reliant. He said that in the 75th year of independence, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi formed the Ministry of Cooperation to fulfil the mantra of “Sahkar se Samridhi”.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Indian Dairy Association was established soon after independence the in 1948, and IDA has been instrumental in the development of the dairy sector in the country. He said that an attempt has been made in this conference to have acomprehensive discussion to make India’s dairy sector the strongest in the world. He said that our dairy and animal husbandry sector contributes 4.5 per cent to the country’s GDP and the contribution of dairy sector to agriculture sector is 24 per cent, which is valued around Rs 10 Lakh crore and it is highest in the world. Shri Shah said that dairy is a strong part of our economy and in terms of employment, about 45 crore people from 9 crore rural households, especially marginal farmers and women, are directly associated with the dairy sector today.

Shri Amit Shah said that our dairy sector has progressed at an annual rate of 6.6 percent in the last decade. He said that the Ministry of Cooperation, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Department of Animal Husbandry formed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will establish rural dairies in 2 lakh panchayats in the country and then the growth rate of the dairy sector will reach 13.80 percent. He said that our milk processing capacity is about 126 million liters per day, which is the highest in the world. Shri Shah said that we process 22 percent of our total milk production, which benefits the farmer in the form of increased income. He said that in the export of dairy products also products like milk powder, butter and ghee have a major share and there is immense potential in this. He said that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has formed a Multistate Cooperative Society for exports and by connecting it with these 2 lakh rural dairies there is a possibility of increasing exports by 5 times.

The Union Minister of Cooperation said that looking at the dairy scenario of the world, in 1970 India produced about 6 crore litres of milk per day and it was a milk deficient country. He said that this production has increased to 58 Crore litres per day in 2022 and dairy sector has played a huge role it. He said that from 1970 to 2022 India’s population has increased 4 times whereas milk production has increased more than 10 times. He said that the per capita consumption of milk in the country was 107 grams in 1970, today, it has increased to 427 grams per capita, which is more than the world average of 300 grams. Shri Shah said that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will not waste any opportunity for the development of the dairy sector and all efforts are being made so that India emerge as the largest milk exporter in the world.

Shri Amit Shah said that there is a need for White Revolution-2 in the country today and we are moving forward in this direction under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said that the cooperative model in the dairy sector touches all aspects including income, nutrition, livestock care, protecting human interest, employment and women empowerment. Shri Shah said that by eliminating the middlemen between the farmer and the consumer in the entire system, cooperative modelprovides maximum profit to the farmer. He said that the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is making efforts to strengthen the cooperative model in the dairy sector.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today India’s share in milk production has gone up to 21 percent and the Amul model has contributed a lot in this. He said that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is making every possible effort for 360-degree development of the dairy sector in India. Shri Shah said that after the formation of 2 lakh primary milk production societies in the country, 33 percent of the world’s milk production is likely to happen in India and for this the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, State Governments and the Cooperative Movement will have to work together. He said that India should become the world’s largest market in the field of milk production as well as milk processing equipment. Shri Shah said that we have to move forward with the goal that by the year 2033-34 India should produce 33 percent of the world’s milk with about 330 MMT milk production every year.

Union Agriculture Minister addressed the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in New Delhi today, where the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was the chief guest during the Inaugural Session.

In his address, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar said the International Year of Millets (IYM) – 2023 will provide an opportunity to increase global production, efficient processing and better use of crop rotation and promote millets as a major component of the food basket.

Shri Tomar said that on the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM). He added that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is working in mission mode to increase millet production and consumption in collaboration with other Central Ministries, all State Governments and other stakeholders.

Shri Tomar said, Millets provide an alternative food system in times of increasing demand for vegetarian foods as it contributes to a balanced diet as well as a safe environment and described them as the gifts of nature to mankind. He said, Asia and Africa are the major production and consumption centers of millet crops, particularly India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the major producer of millets and it his earnest desire to see that Millets should take pride of place in every eating plate in the globe.

Millets were the first crops to be cultivated in Asia and Africa, later spreading as an important food source for advanced civilizations around the world.

Earlier, Shri Tomar said that it is a matter of great pleasure for him to meet the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the beginning of this New Year, 2023 and wished and prayed for the wellbeing of the people of Guyana. Shri Tomar also thanked Dr Ali for being the Chief Guest at the 17^th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention held at Indore on 8-10 January 2023 and extended his heartiest congratulations to the President for receiving the prestigious Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal visited the auspicious “Matua Dharma Maha Mela” at the Shreedham Thakurnagar, Thakurbari, North 24 Parganah in West Bengal today. The Mela is being organised to celebrate the 212th Birth Anniversary of Shri Shri Harichand Thakur ji. Union Minister was accompanied by the Union Minister of State, Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Shantanu Thakur, who is also the Sanghadhipati of Matua Mahasangha.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “I feel blessed to be here today on the pious occasion of the birth anniversary of Shri Shri Harichand Thakur ji. The precious contribution of Shri Shri Thakur ji towards the welfare of deprived and downtrodden people must always be remembered. His dedication towards raising awareness, spreading education & improving the condition of women in the society is bright beacon of hope for us to remain on the path of righteousness. Our Adaraniya Pradhan Mantri Shri Narendra Modi ji believes that Matua Dharma Maha Mela is a reflection of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ with rich display of the vibrant culture of the Matua community.”

Earlier, quoting the tweet by Shantanu Thakur on Matua Dharma Maha Mela, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi tweeted, “The #MatuaMahaMela2023 is an important event which showcases the vibrant culture of the Matua community. I would urge more people to visit the Mela. Humanity will forever be indebted to Shri Shri Harichand Thakur Ji for showing the path of kindness and service.”

Shri Shantanu Thakur aid that the Mela at Shreedham Thakurnagar will be an experience of religious divinity, harmony in diversity & peace.

The mela is organised by the All India Matua Mahasangha, from 19 March to 25 March, 2023.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed delight as Meghalaya gets electric trains for the first time after Indian Railways completed the electrification of important sections between Abhayapuri – Pancharatna; Dudhnai – Mendipathar.

Sharing a tweet by PIB Meghalaya, the Prime Minister tweeted;

“Wonderful news for Meghalaya and furthering connectivity in the Northeast.”