India must strive to become global capital of millets: Union Minister Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: Union Minister Piyush Goyal has said that India must strive to become the global capital of millets.

Addressing 'Millets-Smart Nutritive Food' Conclave in New Delhi, he said that this conclave and the first international buyer-seller meet on millets will help prepare the country for the 'International Year of Millets 2023'. Mr Goyal said that the UN has accepted 2023 as the international year of millets at India's request which was endorsed by over 70 countries. 

Last year, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution tabled by India along with Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia and Senegal to mark 2023 as the 'International Year of



Millets'. Referring to India's presidency of G20 and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), he said that this mantle of leadership clearly reflected India's growing stature on the world stage. 

Mr Goyal pointed out that India had celebrated its Year of Millets in 2018 and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consistently promoted millets as a food that will help take nutrition to the remotest parts of India and the world. The world has accepted several such initiatives championed by India from Yoga to Millets, a clear reflection of the Prime Minister's global leadership and the success of his bid to promote the India story across the world, he said.