Shillong: In line with the Centre’s push for millets, Assam Rifles troopers are slowly reducing rice and wheat from their diet and replacing it with high-fibre millets to boost their overall health, force chief Lt Gen PC Nair has said. The paramilitary force has introduced 10 per cent millets in their ration, the director general said. Lt Gen PC Nair told PTI,
In place of rice, we are giving jowar, bajra and ragi and in place of wheat, we are giving them dalia.
He said as India celebrates the International Year of Millets, Assam Rifles has also adopted this ‘often neglected’ staple food of the Indians. According to the DG,
We are giving our soldiers chapatis and khichdi. In addition, we have made a recipe of various things that can be made from millets and we have distributed it to our battalions.
Also Read: Chapatis, Khichdi Made Of Bajra May Soon Be On Mid-Day Meal Menu In Uttar Pradesh
On health benefits, Lt Gen Nair said,
Earlier, our soldiers were given rice and wheat, which were very high in carbohydrates and the fibre content was less. Since our soldiers serve till the age of 60, millets can be very useful to keep them fit.
Stating that the initial feedback on the new diet from troops has been “very good”, the Lt General said that the force may consider increasing millet distribution to 25 per cent.
He also informed that the jawans are also being served fresh cow milk wherever possible instead of tin milk or powdered milk.
He said older folks in the troops from 40-45 years onwards are being served with a diet which has less oil, ghee, etc.
Also Read: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar Calls To Give ‘A Respectable Place To Millets’
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
