Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday addressed the “Millets for Health” seminar at Government Medical College, Jammu, calling on doctors, scientists, farmers and citizens to make millets, or Shree Anna, part of everyday life for the sake of both public health and environmental sustainability. Earlier in the day, he had also addressed a national dialogue on the Millets Mission organised by SKUAST Jammu.
The Lieutenant Governor said the seminar was more than an academic exercise, describing it as a reminder of shared responsibility toward the earth, water, farming families and the health of every citizen. He noted that millets such as bajra, jowar, ragi, kodo, kutki, kangni and sanwa are as old as Indian civilisation, having sustained generations while requiring little water and minimal chemical input even in harsh climates.
Citing a 2018 ICMR report, the Lieutenant Governor said non-communicable diseases accounted for 61.8 percent of all deaths in 2016, sharply up from 37.09 percent in 1990, while the National Family Health Survey recorded high blood pressure in 11 percent of women and 15 percent of men aged between 15 and 49. He said these figures reflect challenges that extend beyond medicine into family economics, social life and national productivity, and that greater inclusion of millets in daily diets could offer an important path toward disease prevention and healthier lifestyles.
Highlighting their nutritional profile, the Lieutenant Governor said millets are rich in fibre, iron, calcium and other micronutrients, with research suggesting they carry a relatively low glycaemic index and support heart health, cholesterol control and weight management. He said the crop’s benefits span the entire chain, from individual health to environmental conservation, and appealed to the medical fraternity to ensure awareness reaches every section of society.
Calling for a shift from discussion to action, the Lieutenant Governor urged farmers to diversify their crops, scientists to develop high yielding and climate suited varieties, and doctors and nutrition experts to build evidence based awareness campaigns. He appealed to citizens of Jammu and Kashmir to prioritise millets over processed food, expressing confidence that a collective push toward millets could secure food security, safeguard citizens’ health and protect water, soil and the environment. Padma Shri Dr Khadar Vali, GMC Jammu Principal Dr Ashutosh Gupta, Kheti Virasat Mission Executive Director Umendra Dutt and Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar were among those present at the seminar.
