Lucknow, Jan 28 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Saturday gave its approval to a scheme aimed at encouraging the cultivation, processing and consumption of millets in the state, an official statement said.
The UP cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, gave its not to the ‘Uttar Pradesh Millets Revival Programme’ (UPMRP), it said.
The UPMRP will be operated from 2022-23 (January 1, 2023) to 2026-27, and will entail an expense of Rs 186.26 crore which will be borne by the state government, it said.
This programme will be implemented in all the 75 districts of the state.
For four years, starting 2023-24, a mini-kit of millet seeds will be distributed free of cost to the farmers, the statement said.
The farmers will be selected among those registered on the website of the agriculture department or those who are the beneficiaries of the Centre’s ‘Kisan Samman Nidhi, it said.
Twenty five per cent of the beneficiary farmers will be from SC/ST and special priority will be given to women farmers, it said.
To prepare millet products, processing, packing-cum-marketing centres will also be established while mobile outlets/stores will also be encouraged.
The UP cabinet also approved the proposal to notify the Uttar Pradesh Food Processing Industry Policy-2022.
A decision has been taken to implement the policy with the possibilities to develop the food processing sector, bring investment, create jobs and increase the income of the stakeholders, the statement said.
This policy will be implemented across the state for five years after being notified. The Department of Horticulture and Food Processing has been made the nodal department, and the directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing will be the nodal agency, it said.
The state cabinet also approved the promulgation of the Excise Policy for the year 2023-24.
The Excise Policy for the year 2023-24 is being promulgated with the objectives of earning maximum revenue for adequate financing of major government projects and providing stability to the liquor business while making the policy attractive, the statement said.
The cabinet also approved free of cost transfer of 8.345 hectare of land to the medical education department for starting of medical college in Chitrakoot district on a PPP mode, the statement added. PTI NAV TDS TDS
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