A research project will focus on giving direction to enhance the presence of millets in the food basket in Odisha, which is rich in natural resources, water, and soil but still, poor in productivity.
The burning issue of inadequate productivity needs to be addressed through comprehensive research work. The research project will particularly show direction to enhance the presence of millets in food basket, experts opined during a National Seminar on Millets held at Central University of Odisha (CUO) under Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) research project.
The Department of Economics organised the National Seminar on ‘Sustainable Livelihood, Food Security and Rural Transformation through Millets for Viksit Bharat’ on Wednesday at its campus in Sunabeda.
The seminar was held under the ICSSR Special Call for Collaborative Research Project on Vision Viksit Bharat under which a project of Rs 23 lakh was granted to a research team led by Dr Minati Sahoo, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, CUO.
The Inaugural dais featured Prof Chakradhar Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, CUO; Padma Dr J K Bajaj, Former Chairman, ICSSR; Dr Prabhakar Sahoo, Lead Economist, NITI Aayog; Prof Prasant Kumar Panda, Economic Advisor, 16th Finance Commission, Government of India and Prof Rathi Kanta Kumbhar, Professor, Dept of Economics & Chairman, National Seminar.
Dr Minati Sahoo, HOD of Dept. of Economics & Convener delivered the welcome address. She explained that the seminar is for collecting better ideas to conduct the research project being funded by ICSSR. Prof. Rathi Kanta Kumbhar, Professor, Dept. of Economics & Chairman, delivered the thematic address where he explained the theme of the seminar. Prof Kumbhar referred to Sanskriti, Prakriti and Bikriti to explain the establishment of a new food culture.
Padma Dr J K Bajaj, Chief Guest appreciated the topic of the research project and hoped that it would show direction to enhance the presence of millets in the food basket.
Prof P K Panda described Odisha as a Mountain Economy and suggested measures for millet cultivation and consumption from various economic perspectives. Dr Pravakar Sahoo presented a comprehensive description of the government initiatives to uplift the economic growth of India, especially the planning by NITI Aayog. He explained the challenges of awareness and productivity for sustainable development through millets.
Prof Chakradhar Tripathi, VC, CUO described the aesthetics of millets intrinsic in the term, ‘Shri Anna’. He said that the CUO is planning to take up the issue of millets very seriously for economic growth of Koraput. He cited the Mission and Vision of CUO and said that the University aimed to achieve Utkarsh Odisha and Samriddha Bharat.
On this occasion, Dr Raimati Ghiuria, Millet Queen of Odisha from Koraput was felicitated by CUO for her contribution in popularizing millets. A commemorative ‘Book of Ideas’ was inaugurated by dignitaries which was edited By Dr Minati Sahoo and Dr Sourav Gupta.