UP Government to Organize Three-Day 'Sri Anna Mahotsav'

The Uttar Pradesh government will organise Sri Anna Mahotsav in Lucknow from October 27 to 29 to promote use of millets.

About ‘Sri Anna Mahotsav'

• Ahead of the Krishi Kumbh, a three-day Sri Anna Mahotsav, a state-level workshop will be organised in Indira Gandhi Pratishthan from October 27. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the event
• Farmers from six divisions will participate in the event on the first day, from five divisions on the second day and from seven divisions on the third day.
• “Fifty progressive farmers from each division will take part in the event which is aimed at creating awareness among people and farmers with regard to cultivation and consumption of millets in the state,” the spokesman said.
• “Around 40 stalls of food made from millets will also be put up during the three-day Sri Anna Mahotsav

About Sri Anna

• Sri Anna Means: 'Sri'' roughly translates to divine grace and 'Anna' means food grain, especially rice. So, 'Sri Anna' means a food grain which has divine grace.
• Millets, also known as Sri Anna, are a group of small-grained cereal crops that are highly nutritious. They can be grown under marginal or low-fertile soils with very little inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Millets are one of the oldest food known to humans and are adaptable to a wide range of temperatures, moisture regimes, and input conditions.
• The United Nations General Assembly has officially declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, thanks to India's proposal. 
• India has been leading the way in promoting millets, which offer excellent nutrition, food security, and benefits for farmers. In fact, India is the world's largest producer and the second-largest exporter of Shree Anna.
• Sorghum (jowar) and pearl millet (bajra) are the major millets. The minor millets include finger millet (ragi/mandua), foxtail millet (kangni/Italian millet), little millet (kutki), kodo millet, barnyard millet (sawan/jhangora), proso millet (cheena/common millet), and brown top millet (korale). 
• Millets are a natural source of essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, and calcium, which are crucial for combating malnutrition in India. They have a higher content of niacin, B6, folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.Millets are unique grains with exceptional nutritional characteristics. 
• They are rich in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, as well as phenolic compounds and phytochemicals that have medicinal properties. Millets are a natural source of essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, and calcium, which are crucial for combating malnutrition in India. 

Sri Anna Scheme

Sri Anna Scheme was introduced in Budget 2023-24 to boost the production of Millets and create sources for farmers to increase their income.