GUWAHATI: In alignment with the Centre’s emphasis on millets as a nutritional staple, Assam Rifles personnel are gradually reducing their consumption of rice and wheat, replacing them with high-fibre millets.
The paramilitary force has taken the initiative to incorporate millets into their rations, with 10% of their diet now consisting of these nutritious grains.
“Instead of rice, we are giving them johar, bajra, and ragi, and instead of wheat, we are offering dalia,” Lt Gen PC Nair told the press. He pointed out that as India marks the International Year of Millets, Assam Rifles has embraced this often-overlooked staple food.
To promote a balanced diet, the force provides its soldiers with chapatis and khichdi. Furthermore, they have developed a variety of millet-based recipes that have been distributed to their battalions.
Highlighting the health benefits, Nair noted, “Previously, our soldiers were provided with rice and wheat, which are high in carbohydrates but low in fibre. Since our soldiers serve until the age of 60, millets can prove very useful in keeping them physically fit.”
Nair revealed that the initial feedback from troops regarding the new diet has been overwhelmingly positive. As a result, the force is considering increasing the distribution of millets to 25% of their dietary intake.
In 2019, India put forth a proposal that resulted in the United Nations officially designating 2023 as the “International Year of Millets”.
According to data from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, India produced a remarkable 170 lakh tonnes of millets in 2019, covering 138 lakh hectares of land.
This production accounted for 20% of the world’s total millet output, with Asia contributing 80% of the global production. Impressively, India achieved higher yields per hectare compared to the global average.
Furthermore, India emerged as one of the top five millet exporters. According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, the country exported millets valued at $64.28 million in the 2021–2022 fiscal year and $59.75 million in the previous fiscal year (2020–2021).
