15-05-2025
‘Millets can be used to beat malnutrition'
Hyderabad:
Millets
can be an excellent source to combat
malnutrition
among poorer sections of society, Raj Bhandari, a taskforce member of the '
National Millets Campaign
', said on Thursday.
Speaking to TOI at the Millets Stakeholders Summit 2025, he said, "We need to focus on reducing malnutrition, and millets are ideal.
Millet-based foods
can be particularly beneficial for children and pregnant women as they can also help address issues such as anaemia."
Bhandari acknowledged that while the health and nutritional programmes in
Telangana
are effective, it is crucial to ensure these reach the people who need them. He recommended that the state govt identify hotspots for malnutrition and stunted growth. Currently, the emphasis is on areas such as Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Khammam, which are considered aspirational districts.
He also pointed out that in states where polished rice consumption is high, it is even more important to understand the benefits of incorporating millets into the diet.
"Recently, I visited a private hospital where a baby was diagnosed with heart enlargement, which stems from mother's eating patterns. This highlights the urgent need to promote millets," Bhandari said.
