New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS): Parliamentary Standing Committee on Monday said that in the light of the fact that several states have opted for millets, the Centre should explore the possibility of distributing millets in addition to rice and wheat under Targetted Public Distribution Scheme (TPDS) as well as in other welfare schemes like PM POSHAN.

The standing committee on food, consumer affairs and public distribution in its report titled ‘Coarse grains production and distribution’, said: “Considering the fact that more and more states are opting for millets, with a view to encourage remaining states to opt for nutritious and healthy millets in combination with rice and wheat, the committee suggest the Govt of India to explore the possibility of distributing millets in addition to rice and wheat under TPDS and other welfare schemes.”

On the government's initiative to help small farmers in setting up primary processing facilities for millets, through the farmers producers organisations to purchase primary processing equipment with the financial support of NABARD, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Small Farmers Agri-business consortium (SFAC) and other state government agencies, the panel said that this policy intervention will strengthen the existing supply chain of millets by engaging farmers into groups as FPOs and will further boost millets production.

The total allocation of coarse grains to various states for distribution under TPDS, which stood at 73,000 tonnes in 2014-15 has increased to 5,85,500 tonnes in 2022-23, a growth of eight times over a period of nine years.

This is likely to go up further to 9,20,000 tonnes in 2023-24, the panel was informed by the agriculture ministry.