New Delhi Mar 21 (IANS): A high level Parliamentary panel has suggested that the government should encourage production and procurement of millets in all the states, specially those having significant tribal population like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh among others.

It has further suggested that government should also provide all possible assistance to farmers opting to grow millets.

These are the recommendations of the Parliamentary standing committee on consumer affairs, food and public distribution whose report on the demands for grants for 2023-24 was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.

The committee further recommended that in order to encourage the consumption of millets, the beneficiaries of different schemes should be given the option to bundle millets along with wheat and rice within their entitled quantity.

Suggesting measures to improve fair price shops, the panel has said that they should be allowed to offer various services other than foodgrain distribution such as financial services, Aadhar or PAN card registration etc, which would make them economically viable.

The committee also urged upon the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, to take up the matter of shortage of empty rakes for transportation of foodgrains and various infrastructure constraints.