Bhupalpally: Satyavathi Rathod bats for millet promotion

Bhupalpally : The State government has been promoting cultivation of millets and its consumption, Minister for Tribal Welfare Satyavathi Rathod said.

Inaugurating a millet processing unit at Chelpur village under Ghanpur mandal in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district on Sunday, along with local MLA Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, the minister explained the importance of millets for a healthy life.

KCR Nutritional Kits, worth Rs 2,000, is a boon for the pregnant women as it was aimed at improving their nutritional status, especially those who suffer from anaemia, the minister said. She said that serving a meal with millets would improve the health of the students.

The minister lauded the district administration for promoting the cultivation of millets under the Centre’s Aspirational Districts Programme. She said that the Department of Women Development and Child Welfare is in association with the Union Ministry of Welfare of Women and Children to develop a roadmap for integrating millets into the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

In another programme, the minister lauded the HDFC Bank which came forward to improve the standard of living of residents in 19 villages in the district with an outlay of Rs 8 crore under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.

Later, the minister inaugurated Sakhi Centre, One-Stop Crisis Centre for women seeking to redressal of their grievances, in Bhupalpally town constructed at a cost of Rs 66 lakh. She also launched an ambulance service.

ZP chairperson Jakku Sriharshini and district Collector Bhavesh Mishra were among others present.