Yojana Magazine January 2023 - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Ancient Grains for a Healthy Future 
Pallavi Upadhyaya
Millets in Diet: The Right Approach 
Rujuta Diwekar
Cultivation in North-East India 
M Premjit Singh, Punabati Heisnam
India’s Wealth: Millet for Health 
Dr Manisha Verma
International Y ear of Millets 2023
JANuARY  2023 A DEvElop MENT MoNTHl Y
Page 2


Ancient Grains for a Healthy Future 
Pallavi Upadhyaya
Millets in Diet: The Right Approach 
Rujuta Diwekar
Cultivation in North-East India 
M Premjit Singh, Punabati Heisnam
India’s Wealth: Millet for Health 
Dr Manisha Verma
International Y ear of Millets 2023
JANuARY  2023 A DEvElop MENT MoNTHl Y
January 2023
YOJANA
Volume-67
No. 01
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India  I  @YojanaJournal
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
In ThIs Issue
number of pages: 56
uPCOMInG Issue : YOuTh & sPOr Ts
Details of the Sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 46
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Since 1957
HEAl TH BEnEfiT s f Or  
lifE sTylE DisEAsE s 
Dr sundeep Mishra,  
Dr Priyanka Chandolia ................... 30
MillET s f Or PrEGnAnT AnD 
lACTATinG W OMEn 
ravindra Kumar ............................. 35
sTAr TUPs MAKinG MillET s 
POPUlAr 
Madan Jaira ................................... 42
CHief eDitoR 
rakeshrenu
eDitoR 
shuChIT a Cha TurvedI
ouR REpREsENTATIvEs 
Ahmedabad: sumanben A Machhar , Bengaluru: 
BK Kiranmai, Bhubaneswar: itishree singh rathaur , 
Chennai: sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, 
Hyderabad: Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep 
Kaur Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: 
Umesh Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: roy Chacko.
Joint DiReC toR , PRoDUC tion 
d k C hrudhaIna Th CoVeR DeSign
BIndu verMa
Yojana (English): r oom no. 647, soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, lodhi r oad, new Delhi-110 003.  
E-mail (Editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
dIsCLaIMer
l 	 The 	 vie ws 	 e xpre sse d 	 in 	 various 	 articles 	 are	
those 	 of 	 the 	 authors 	 and 	 the y 	 do 	 not 	 ne c essarily	
re flect 	 the 	 vie ws 	 of 	 the 	 Go vernme n t 	 or 	 the	
organisation/ s 	 the y 	 work 	 f or .
l Map s/flags 	 use d 	 in 	 the 	 article s 	 are 	 only 	 indic ative 	
and 	 the y 	 do 	 not 	 re flect 	 the 	 politic al 	 map 	 or 	 le gal	
re presen t ation 	 of 	 the 	 flag 	 of 	 India/an y 	 othe r	
c oun try .
l The 	 inf ographics/figure s 	 are 	 pro vide d 	 b y 	 the	
authors 	 through 	 the ir 	 re liable 	 sourc e s 	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims 	 no 	 re sponsibility 	 f or 	 the 	 same.
l Image s, 	 graphics 	 and 	 illus trations, 	 whe re ve r	
use d, 	 are 	 mos tly 	 sourc ed 	 from 	 go vernme n t	
channels 	 and 	 are 	 indic ative 	 in 	 nature .
l YOJANA 	does 	not 	o wn 	re sponsibility 	re garding	
the 	 c on t e n ts 	 of 	 the 	 adve rtise men ts. 	 The 	 re aders	
are 	 re que s t e d 	 t o 	 ve rify 	 the 	 claims 	 made 	 in 	 the	
adve rtise men ts 	 re garding 	 c ourse s, 	 c are e r -
guidanc e 	 book s 	 or 	 ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n titie s 	 prese n t ed 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudie s 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
suBsCrIPTIOn/GrIevanCes
Email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal Address: Abhishek Chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, r oom n o. 
779, soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, lodhi 
r oad, new Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
week s	 t o	 s t art	 your	 sub scrip tion.	 Kindly	 raise	 
your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SUBSCRIPTION-RELATED DETAILS : Page 53
re GuLars
MANN k I BAAT – Little Millet khichdi .................................................................... 41
dO YOu knO w? Processing Technology in Millets ................................................ 48
G20 – India as a Climate Leader and its G20 Presidency ......................................... 50
OUR BOOk S –  Life and Legend of Bhagat Singh .............................................. Cover-iii
                 Vyanjano Mein Gehu ka Vikalp ................................................ Cover-iii
inDiA ’s WEAl TH:  
MillET f Or HEAl TH 
Dr Manisha Verma ......................... 25
inTErnATiOnAl yEAr  
Of MillET s 2023 ........................... 07
MillET s: AnCiEnT GrAins f Or  
A HEAl THy fUTUrE 
Pallavi Upadhyaya .......................... 11
MillET s in DiET : THE riGHT 
APPr OACH 
rujuta Diwekar .............................. 17
MillET CUl TiVATiOn in  
nOr TH-EAsT inDiA 
M Premjit singh,  
Punabati Heisnam ......................... 19
Page 3


Ancient Grains for a Healthy Future 
Pallavi Upadhyaya
Millets in Diet: The Right Approach 
Rujuta Diwekar
Cultivation in North-East India 
M Premjit Singh, Punabati Heisnam
India’s Wealth: Millet for Health 
Dr Manisha Verma
International Y ear of Millets 2023
JANuARY  2023 A DEvElop MENT MoNTHl Y
January 2023
YOJANA
Volume-67
No. 01
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India  I  @YojanaJournal
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
In ThIs Issue
number of pages: 56
uPCOMInG Issue : YOuTh & sPOr Ts
Details of the Sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 46
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Since 1957
HEAl TH BEnEfiT s f Or  
lifE sTylE DisEAsE s 
Dr sundeep Mishra,  
Dr Priyanka Chandolia ................... 30
MillET s f Or PrEGnAnT AnD 
lACTATinG W OMEn 
ravindra Kumar ............................. 35
sTAr TUPs MAKinG MillET s 
POPUlAr 
Madan Jaira ................................... 42
CHief eDitoR 
rakeshrenu
eDitoR 
shuChIT a Cha TurvedI
ouR REpREsENTATIvEs 
Ahmedabad: sumanben A Machhar , Bengaluru: 
BK Kiranmai, Bhubaneswar: itishree singh rathaur , 
Chennai: sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, 
Hyderabad: Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep 
Kaur Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: 
Umesh Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: roy Chacko.
Joint DiReC toR , PRoDUC tion 
d k C hrudhaIna Th CoVeR DeSign
BIndu verMa
Yojana (English): r oom no. 647, soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, lodhi r oad, new Delhi-110 003.  
E-mail (Editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
dIsCLaIMer
l 	 The 	 vie ws 	 e xpre sse d 	 in 	 various 	 articles 	 are	
those 	 of 	 the 	 authors 	 and 	 the y 	 do 	 not 	 ne c essarily	
re flect 	 the 	 vie ws 	 of 	 the 	 Go vernme n t 	 or 	 the	
organisation/ s 	 the y 	 work 	 f or .
l Map s/flags 	 use d 	 in 	 the 	 article s 	 are 	 only 	 indic ative 	
and 	 the y 	 do 	 not 	 re flect 	 the 	 politic al 	 map 	 or 	 le gal	
re presen t ation 	 of 	 the 	 flag 	 of 	 India/an y 	 othe r	
c oun try .
l The 	 inf ographics/figure s 	 are 	 pro vide d 	 b y 	 the	
authors 	 through 	 the ir 	 re liable 	 sourc e s 	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims 	 no 	 re sponsibility 	 f or 	 the 	 same.
l Image s, 	 graphics 	 and 	 illus trations, 	 whe re ve r	
use d, 	 are 	 mos tly 	 sourc ed 	 from 	 go vernme n t	
channels 	 and 	 are 	 indic ative 	 in 	 nature .
l YOJANA 	does 	not 	o wn 	re sponsibility 	re garding	
the 	 c on t e n ts 	 of 	 the 	 adve rtise men ts. 	 The 	 re aders	
are 	 re que s t e d 	 t o 	 ve rify 	 the 	 claims 	 made 	 in 	 the	
adve rtise men ts 	 re garding 	 c ourse s, 	 c are e r -
guidanc e 	 book s 	 or 	 ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n titie s 	 prese n t ed 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudie s 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
suBsCrIPTIOn/GrIevanCes
Email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal Address: Abhishek Chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, r oom n o. 
779, soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, lodhi 
r oad, new Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
week s	 t o	 s t art	 your	 sub scrip tion.	 Kindly	 raise	 
your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SUBSCRIPTION-RELATED DETAILS : Page 53
re GuLars
MANN k I BAAT – Little Millet khichdi .................................................................... 41
dO YOu knO w? Processing Technology in Millets ................................................ 48
G20 – India as a Climate Leader and its G20 Presidency ......................................... 50
OUR BOOk S –  Life and Legend of Bhagat Singh .............................................. Cover-iii
                 Vyanjano Mein Gehu ka Vikalp ................................................ Cover-iii
inDiA ’s WEAl TH:  
MillET f Or HEAl TH 
Dr Manisha Verma ......................... 25
inTErnATiOnAl yEAr  
Of MillET s 2023 ........................... 07
MillET s: AnCiEnT GrAins f Or  
A HEAl THy fUTUrE 
Pallavi Upadhyaya .......................... 11
MillET s in DiET : THE riGHT 
APPr OACH 
rujuta Diwekar .............................. 17
MillET CUl TiVATiOn in  
nOr TH-EAsT inDiA 
M Premjit singh,  
Punabati Heisnam ......................... 19
YOJANA   January 2023 5
Editorial
YOJANA
Reviving India’s ‘Nutri Cereals’
I
ndia has a rich tradition of consumption of millets. 
There have been innumerable sources of literature and 
documents that suggest how millets were an intrinsic part 
of our food habits, culinary, rituals, and society at large. 
Kalidasa, in his legendary literary masterpiece 
‘Abhijnana Shakuntalam’, has sage Kanva pouring foxtail 
millet while bidding farewell to Shakuntala in Dushyant’s 
court, which indicates the auspicious nature attributed to 
this millet. There is mention of millets in Yajur Veda’s 
verses. Sushruta in his Samhita classified cereals as 
dhanya varga, khudhanya varga and samidhanya varga 
where khudhanya varga included various millets.
‘Ragi thandheera’, a composition in Kannada, written 
by Purandara Dasa highlights the importance of finger 
millet (ragi) during his times. Another Kannada poet Kanakdasa personified ragi as the weaker 
sections of society through his metaphoric creation ‘Ramadhanya Charithre’, which showed its 
conflict with the ‘mighty’ rice and gave a powerful social message. 
Kautilya’s Arthashastra has a mention of various millets and their various properties when 
soaked or boiled. Ain-i-Akbari, written by Abul Fazl, records millets and their cultivating regions. 
It is said that Mughal King Jahangir was fond of ‘laziza’, a form of bajra khichri, mixed with peas, 
which has its roots in Gujarat. 
With such a diverse roots of millets in India and even diverse ways of culinary preparations, 
where are millets in our kitchen these days? How much millet do we consume in our staple diet? 
What are their benefits and why millets should reclaim their place on our plates is where this issue 
of Yojana comes from. 
This year marks the celebration of the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023) which has 
been spearheaded by the sustained efforts of India. Recognising the enormous potential of millets, 
which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals in terms of being climate-
resilient, nutritious, and water-efficient crops, the Government of India has been prioritising 
millets. Millets are important by the virtue of their great potential to generate livelihood, increase 
farmers’ income and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world. A sub-mission on 
National Food Security Mission– Nutri Cereals was implemented considering the high-nutritive 
value, potential for economic empowerment of small & marginal farmers, and contribution to 
maintaining the earth’s biodiversity; in April 2018, Millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals”, and 
the year 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets, aiming at larger promotion and demand 
generation. These efforts of cultivation and consumption of millet in India have been brought to the 
forefront of the international arena through the declaration of IYM 2023.
A new year is also a moment for new resolve. This is an opportune moment for us to review 
our lifestyle, and food habits, and make corrections wherever needed. We are hopeful that this 
issue of Yojana will help you explore the bountiful benefits of millets thus making them a part of 
your lives.                                                                                                                                        ?
Page 4


Ancient Grains for a Healthy Future 
Pallavi Upadhyaya
Millets in Diet: The Right Approach 
Rujuta Diwekar
Cultivation in North-East India 
M Premjit Singh, Punabati Heisnam
India’s Wealth: Millet for Health 
Dr Manisha Verma
International Y ear of Millets 2023
JANuARY  2023 A DEvElop MENT MoNTHl Y
January 2023
YOJANA
Volume-67
No. 01
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India  I  @YojanaJournal
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
In ThIs Issue
number of pages: 56
uPCOMInG Issue : YOuTh & sPOr Ts
Details of the Sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 46
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Since 1957
HEAl TH BEnEfiT s f Or  
lifE sTylE DisEAsE s 
Dr sundeep Mishra,  
Dr Priyanka Chandolia ................... 30
MillET s f Or PrEGnAnT AnD 
lACTATinG W OMEn 
ravindra Kumar ............................. 35
sTAr TUPs MAKinG MillET s 
POPUlAr 
Madan Jaira ................................... 42
CHief eDitoR 
rakeshrenu
eDitoR 
shuChIT a Cha TurvedI
ouR REpREsENTATIvEs 
Ahmedabad: sumanben A Machhar , Bengaluru: 
BK Kiranmai, Bhubaneswar: itishree singh rathaur , 
Chennai: sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, 
Hyderabad: Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep 
Kaur Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: 
Umesh Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: roy Chacko.
Joint DiReC toR , PRoDUC tion 
d k C hrudhaIna Th CoVeR DeSign
BIndu verMa
Yojana (English): r oom no. 647, soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, lodhi r oad, new Delhi-110 003.  
E-mail (Editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
dIsCLaIMer
l 	 The 	 vie ws 	 e xpre sse d 	 in 	 various 	 articles 	 are	
those 	 of 	 the 	 authors 	 and 	 the y 	 do 	 not 	 ne c essarily	
re flect 	 the 	 vie ws 	 of 	 the 	 Go vernme n t 	 or 	 the	
organisation/ s 	 the y 	 work 	 f or .
l Map s/flags 	 use d 	 in 	 the 	 article s 	 are 	 only 	 indic ative 	
and 	 the y 	 do 	 not 	 re flect 	 the 	 politic al 	 map 	 or 	 le gal	
re presen t ation 	 of 	 the 	 flag 	 of 	 India/an y 	 othe r	
c oun try .
l The 	 inf ographics/figure s 	 are 	 pro vide d 	 b y 	 the	
authors 	 through 	 the ir 	 re liable 	 sourc e s 	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims 	 no 	 re sponsibility 	 f or 	 the 	 same.
l Image s, 	 graphics 	 and 	 illus trations, 	 whe re ve r	
use d, 	 are 	 mos tly 	 sourc ed 	 from 	 go vernme n t	
channels 	 and 	 are 	 indic ative 	 in 	 nature .
l YOJANA 	does 	not 	o wn 	re sponsibility 	re garding	
the 	 c on t e n ts 	 of 	 the 	 adve rtise men ts. 	 The 	 re aders	
are 	 re que s t e d 	 t o 	 ve rify 	 the 	 claims 	 made 	 in 	 the	
adve rtise men ts 	 re garding 	 c ourse s, 	 c are e r -
guidanc e 	 book s 	 or 	 ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n titie s 	 prese n t ed 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudie s 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
suBsCrIPTIOn/GrIevanCes
Email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal Address: Abhishek Chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, r oom n o. 
779, soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, lodhi 
r oad, new Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
week s	 t o	 s t art	 your	 sub scrip tion.	 Kindly	 raise	 
your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SUBSCRIPTION-RELATED DETAILS : Page 53
re GuLars
MANN k I BAAT – Little Millet khichdi .................................................................... 41
dO YOu knO w? Processing Technology in Millets ................................................ 48
G20 – India as a Climate Leader and its G20 Presidency ......................................... 50
OUR BOOk S –  Life and Legend of Bhagat Singh .............................................. Cover-iii
                 Vyanjano Mein Gehu ka Vikalp ................................................ Cover-iii
inDiA ’s WEAl TH:  
MillET f Or HEAl TH 
Dr Manisha Verma ......................... 25
inTErnATiOnAl yEAr  
Of MillET s 2023 ........................... 07
MillET s: AnCiEnT GrAins f Or  
A HEAl THy fUTUrE 
Pallavi Upadhyaya .......................... 11
MillET s in DiET : THE riGHT 
APPr OACH 
rujuta Diwekar .............................. 17
MillET CUl TiVATiOn in  
nOr TH-EAsT inDiA 
M Premjit singh,  
Punabati Heisnam ......................... 19
YOJANA   January 2023 5
Editorial
YOJANA
Reviving India’s ‘Nutri Cereals’
I
ndia has a rich tradition of consumption of millets. 
There have been innumerable sources of literature and 
documents that suggest how millets were an intrinsic part 
of our food habits, culinary, rituals, and society at large. 
Kalidasa, in his legendary literary masterpiece 
‘Abhijnana Shakuntalam’, has sage Kanva pouring foxtail 
millet while bidding farewell to Shakuntala in Dushyant’s 
court, which indicates the auspicious nature attributed to 
this millet. There is mention of millets in Yajur Veda’s 
verses. Sushruta in his Samhita classified cereals as 
dhanya varga, khudhanya varga and samidhanya varga 
where khudhanya varga included various millets.
‘Ragi thandheera’, a composition in Kannada, written 
by Purandara Dasa highlights the importance of finger 
millet (ragi) during his times. Another Kannada poet Kanakdasa personified ragi as the weaker 
sections of society through his metaphoric creation ‘Ramadhanya Charithre’, which showed its 
conflict with the ‘mighty’ rice and gave a powerful social message. 
Kautilya’s Arthashastra has a mention of various millets and their various properties when 
soaked or boiled. Ain-i-Akbari, written by Abul Fazl, records millets and their cultivating regions. 
It is said that Mughal King Jahangir was fond of ‘laziza’, a form of bajra khichri, mixed with peas, 
which has its roots in Gujarat. 
With such a diverse roots of millets in India and even diverse ways of culinary preparations, 
where are millets in our kitchen these days? How much millet do we consume in our staple diet? 
What are their benefits and why millets should reclaim their place on our plates is where this issue 
of Yojana comes from. 
This year marks the celebration of the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023) which has 
been spearheaded by the sustained efforts of India. Recognising the enormous potential of millets, 
which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals in terms of being climate-
resilient, nutritious, and water-efficient crops, the Government of India has been prioritising 
millets. Millets are important by the virtue of their great potential to generate livelihood, increase 
farmers’ income and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world. A sub-mission on 
National Food Security Mission– Nutri Cereals was implemented considering the high-nutritive 
value, potential for economic empowerment of small & marginal farmers, and contribution to 
maintaining the earth’s biodiversity; in April 2018, Millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals”, and 
the year 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets, aiming at larger promotion and demand 
generation. These efforts of cultivation and consumption of millet in India have been brought to the 
forefront of the international arena through the declaration of IYM 2023.
A new year is also a moment for new resolve. This is an opportune moment for us to review 
our lifestyle, and food habits, and make corrections wherever needed. We are hopeful that this 
issue of Yojana will help you explore the bountiful benefits of millets thus making them a part of 
your lives.                                                                                                                                        ?
he United Nations General Assembly has 
declared the year 2023 ‘International Year 
of Millets’. It is the Prime Minister’s vision 
and initiative that led to this United Nations 
Resolution being adopted with support from more 
than 70 nations across the globe. It will help in creating 
awareness throughout the 
world about the significant 
role of millets in sustainable 
agriculture and its benefits 
as a smart and superfood. 
India is poised to become the 
global hub for millets with a 
production of more than 170 
lakh tonnes which makes 
for more than 80% of the 
millets produced in Asia. The 
earliest evidence for these 
grains has been found in the 
Indus Valley civilisation and 
was one of the first plants to 
be domesticated for food. It is 
grown in about 131 countries 
and is the traditional food for around 60 crore people in 
Asia & Africa.
The Government of India has declared to celebrate the 
International Year of Millets, 2023 to make it a people’s 
movement so that Indian millets, recipes, and value-
added products are accepted globally. The ‘International 
Year of Millets’ stands to provide a unique opportunity to 
increase global production, ensure efficient processing and 
International Year of Millets 2023
T
Rich in heRitage, full of potential
consumption, promote better utilisation of crop rotations, 
and encourage better connectivity throughout food systems 
to promote millets as a key component of the food basket.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 
a brief message said that the opening ceremony of the 
International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 hosted by the 
FAO aims to raise awareness and 
create momentum for the IYM 
2023 by engaging FAO Members 
and other relevant stakeholders 
and highlighting the benefits 
of promoting the sustainable 
cultivation and consumption of 
millets.
The Prime Minister of India 
said, I would like to congratulate 
the United Nations and the Food 
and Agriculture Organisation for 
the launch of the International 
Year of Millets 2023. I also 
express my appreciation to the 
different member nations who 
supported our proposal to mark the International Year of 
Millets. Millets have a glorious history of being among 
the earliest crops grown by humans. They have been an 
important food source in the past. But the need of the hour 
is to make them a food choice for the future!
A once-in-a-century pandemic followed by a conflict 
situation has shown that food security is still a concern 
for the planet. Climate change can also impact food 
“There is a need for diversity on the land and on our tables. If agriculture becomes monoculture, 
it impacts our health and the health of our lands. Millets are a good way to increase agricultural 
and dietary diversity. Raising awareness to create ‘Millet Mindfulness’ is an important part of this 
movement. Both institutions and individuals can make a tremendous impact. While institutional 
mechanisms can encourage production of millets and make it profitable via policy initiatives, 
individuals can make health-conscious and planet-friendly choices by making millets a part of their 
diet. I am positive that the International Year of Millets 2023 will start a mass movement towards a 
secure, sustainable and healthy future. ” 
– PM Narendra Modi’s message during the opening ceremony of the  
International Year of Millets at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy
YOJANA   January 2023 7
Page 5


Ancient Grains for a Healthy Future 
Pallavi Upadhyaya
Millets in Diet: The Right Approach 
Rujuta Diwekar
Cultivation in North-East India 
M Premjit Singh, Punabati Heisnam
India’s Wealth: Millet for Health 
Dr Manisha Verma
International Y ear of Millets 2023
JANuARY  2023 A DEvElop MENT MoNTHl Y
January 2023
YOJANA
Volume-67
No. 01
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
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In ThIs Issue
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HEAl TH BEnEfiT s f Or  
lifE sTylE DisEAsE s 
Dr sundeep Mishra,  
Dr Priyanka Chandolia ................... 30
MillET s f Or PrEGnAnT AnD 
lACTATinG W OMEn 
ravindra Kumar ............................. 35
sTAr TUPs MAKinG MillET s 
POPUlAr 
Madan Jaira ................................... 42
CHief eDitoR 
rakeshrenu
eDitoR 
shuChIT a Cha TurvedI
ouR REpREsENTATIvEs 
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Joint DiReC toR , PRoDUC tion 
d k C hrudhaIna Th CoVeR DeSign
BIndu verMa
Yojana (English): r oom no. 647, soochna Bhawan, 
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re GuLars
MANN k I BAAT – Little Millet khichdi .................................................................... 41
dO YOu knO w? Processing Technology in Millets ................................................ 48
G20 – India as a Climate Leader and its G20 Presidency ......................................... 50
OUR BOOk S –  Life and Legend of Bhagat Singh .............................................. Cover-iii
                 Vyanjano Mein Gehu ka Vikalp ................................................ Cover-iii
inDiA ’s WEAl TH:  
MillET f Or HEAl TH 
Dr Manisha Verma ......................... 25
inTErnATiOnAl yEAr  
Of MillET s 2023 ........................... 07
MillET s: AnCiEnT GrAins f Or  
A HEAl THy fUTUrE 
Pallavi Upadhyaya .......................... 11
MillET s in DiET : THE riGHT 
APPr OACH 
rujuta Diwekar .............................. 17
MillET CUl TiVATiOn in  
nOr TH-EAsT inDiA 
M Premjit singh,  
Punabati Heisnam ......................... 19
YOJANA   January 2023 5
Editorial
YOJANA
Reviving India’s ‘Nutri Cereals’
I
ndia has a rich tradition of consumption of millets. 
There have been innumerable sources of literature and 
documents that suggest how millets were an intrinsic part 
of our food habits, culinary, rituals, and society at large. 
Kalidasa, in his legendary literary masterpiece 
‘Abhijnana Shakuntalam’, has sage Kanva pouring foxtail 
millet while bidding farewell to Shakuntala in Dushyant’s 
court, which indicates the auspicious nature attributed to 
this millet. There is mention of millets in Yajur Veda’s 
verses. Sushruta in his Samhita classified cereals as 
dhanya varga, khudhanya varga and samidhanya varga 
where khudhanya varga included various millets.
‘Ragi thandheera’, a composition in Kannada, written 
by Purandara Dasa highlights the importance of finger 
millet (ragi) during his times. Another Kannada poet Kanakdasa personified ragi as the weaker 
sections of society through his metaphoric creation ‘Ramadhanya Charithre’, which showed its 
conflict with the ‘mighty’ rice and gave a powerful social message. 
Kautilya’s Arthashastra has a mention of various millets and their various properties when 
soaked or boiled. Ain-i-Akbari, written by Abul Fazl, records millets and their cultivating regions. 
It is said that Mughal King Jahangir was fond of ‘laziza’, a form of bajra khichri, mixed with peas, 
which has its roots in Gujarat. 
With such a diverse roots of millets in India and even diverse ways of culinary preparations, 
where are millets in our kitchen these days? How much millet do we consume in our staple diet? 
What are their benefits and why millets should reclaim their place on our plates is where this issue 
of Yojana comes from. 
This year marks the celebration of the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023) which has 
been spearheaded by the sustained efforts of India. Recognising the enormous potential of millets, 
which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals in terms of being climate-
resilient, nutritious, and water-efficient crops, the Government of India has been prioritising 
millets. Millets are important by the virtue of their great potential to generate livelihood, increase 
farmers’ income and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world. A sub-mission on 
National Food Security Mission– Nutri Cereals was implemented considering the high-nutritive 
value, potential for economic empowerment of small & marginal farmers, and contribution to 
maintaining the earth’s biodiversity; in April 2018, Millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals”, and 
the year 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets, aiming at larger promotion and demand 
generation. These efforts of cultivation and consumption of millet in India have been brought to the 
forefront of the international arena through the declaration of IYM 2023.
A new year is also a moment for new resolve. This is an opportune moment for us to review 
our lifestyle, and food habits, and make corrections wherever needed. We are hopeful that this 
issue of Yojana will help you explore the bountiful benefits of millets thus making them a part of 
your lives.                                                                                                                                        ?
he United Nations General Assembly has 
declared the year 2023 ‘International Year 
of Millets’. It is the Prime Minister’s vision 
and initiative that led to this United Nations 
Resolution being adopted with support from more 
than 70 nations across the globe. It will help in creating 
awareness throughout the 
world about the significant 
role of millets in sustainable 
agriculture and its benefits 
as a smart and superfood. 
India is poised to become the 
global hub for millets with a 
production of more than 170 
lakh tonnes which makes 
for more than 80% of the 
millets produced in Asia. The 
earliest evidence for these 
grains has been found in the 
Indus Valley civilisation and 
was one of the first plants to 
be domesticated for food. It is 
grown in about 131 countries 
and is the traditional food for around 60 crore people in 
Asia & Africa.
The Government of India has declared to celebrate the 
International Year of Millets, 2023 to make it a people’s 
movement so that Indian millets, recipes, and value-
added products are accepted globally. The ‘International 
Year of Millets’ stands to provide a unique opportunity to 
increase global production, ensure efficient processing and 
International Year of Millets 2023
T
Rich in heRitage, full of potential
consumption, promote better utilisation of crop rotations, 
and encourage better connectivity throughout food systems 
to promote millets as a key component of the food basket.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 
a brief message said that the opening ceremony of the 
International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 hosted by the 
FAO aims to raise awareness and 
create momentum for the IYM 
2023 by engaging FAO Members 
and other relevant stakeholders 
and highlighting the benefits 
of promoting the sustainable 
cultivation and consumption of 
millets.
The Prime Minister of India 
said, I would like to congratulate 
the United Nations and the Food 
and Agriculture Organisation for 
the launch of the International 
Year of Millets 2023. I also 
express my appreciation to the 
different member nations who 
supported our proposal to mark the International Year of 
Millets. Millets have a glorious history of being among 
the earliest crops grown by humans. They have been an 
important food source in the past. But the need of the hour 
is to make them a food choice for the future!
A once-in-a-century pandemic followed by a conflict 
situation has shown that food security is still a concern 
for the planet. Climate change can also impact food 
“There is a need for diversity on the land and on our tables. If agriculture becomes monoculture, 
it impacts our health and the health of our lands. Millets are a good way to increase agricultural 
and dietary diversity. Raising awareness to create ‘Millet Mindfulness’ is an important part of this 
movement. Both institutions and individuals can make a tremendous impact. While institutional 
mechanisms can encourage production of millets and make it profitable via policy initiatives, 
individuals can make health-conscious and planet-friendly choices by making millets a part of their 
diet. I am positive that the International Year of Millets 2023 will start a mass movement towards a 
secure, sustainable and healthy future. ” 
– PM Narendra Modi’s message during the opening ceremony of the  
International Year of Millets at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy
YOJANA   January 2023 7
availability. At such a time, a global movement related to millets is an important step, since they are easy to grow, 
climate resilient, and drought resistant. Millets are good for the consumer, cultivator and climate. They are a rich source 
of balanced nutrition for consumers. They benefit cultivators and our environment since they need lesser water and are 
compatible with natural ways of farming.
The United Nations General Assembly at its 75
th
 session in March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of 
Millets (IYM). The IYM 2023 is an opportunity to raise awareness of, and direct policy attention to the nutritional and 
health benefits of millets and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions. It is an 
occasion to promote the sustainable production of millets while also highlighting their potential to create sustainable 
market opportunities for producers and consumers.
IYM 2023 aims to contribute to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), 
SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption 
and production), SDG 13 (Climate action) and SDG 15 (Life on land).
1. The sustainable cultivation of millets can support climate-resilient agriculture
SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land)
• Millets are often referred to as climate-resilient crops because they can grow on arid lands with 
minimal inputs and maintenance, are tolerant or resistant to diseases and pests and are more 
resilient to climate shocks than other cereals.
• Including and/or expanding the production of millets in national agricultural systems can 
support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood 
systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.
8 YOJANA   January 2023