Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha addressed the ‘Millets for Health’ seminar at Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu on Monday, urging doctors, scientists, farmers, and citizens to adopt millets, or Shree Anna, as part of daily life. Earlier, he spoke at a national dialogue on the Millets Mission organized by SKUAST, Jammu.
Sinha emphasized that the seminar was more than an academic event. He called it a reminder of shared responsibility toward the environment, farming communities, and public health. “Nature’s message is clear that limits cannot be crossed, and millets offer a credible alternative,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that millets like bajra, jowar, ragi, kodo, kutki, kangni, and sanwa have sustained generations in India. These crops thrive in harsh climates with minimal water and chemical inputs.
Citing the 2018 ICMR report, Sinha noted that non-communicable diseases accounted for 61.8% of all deaths in 2016, up from 37.09% in 1990. The National Family Health Survey records high blood pressure in 11% of women and 15% of men aged 15–49.
Sinha argued these issues extend beyond health, impacting families and national productivity. “I firmly believe that, in such times, greater inclusion of our traditional food, millets, can show us an important path towards disease prevention and a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
Millets are rich in fibre, iron, calcium, and micronutrients. Research suggests they support heart health, cholesterol control, and weight management. Sinha stressed that millets benefit both individual health and environmental conservation.
He called for action, urging farmers to diversify crops and scientists to develop climate-resilient, high-yielding varieties. “I urge all doctors and nutrition experts to create evidence-based awareness about the role of millets in a balanced diet,” he said. Sinha appealed to citizens to prioritize millets over processed foods.
Among those present were Padma Dr. Khadar Vali, Dr. Ashutosh Gupta (Principal, GMC Jammu), Umendra Dutt (Executive Director, Kheti Virasat Mission), Ramesh Kumar (Divisional Commissioner Jammu), and senior officials, experts, faculty, and students.
