Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon the Members of the Parliament to make the International Year of Millets 2023, a mass movement. Mr. Modi said this while addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting in Parliament House Complex today.<br />''<br />''Briefing the media after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi quoted the Prime Minister as saying that he emphasized two aspects. <br />''<br />''First, promotion of an ongoing nutrition campaign through millets, and second, food items made from millets can be served to the guests who would attend the G20 meetings and events so that they can understand the importance of millets. He said, the Prime Minister stressed the need for inclusion of millet in the diet of sports persons.<br />''<br />''Mr. Joshi said, the most important point is that the International Year of Millets 2023 is being celebrated on the insistence of the letter written by the government to the United Nations.<br />''<br />''In the meeting, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishanker gave a detailed presentation regarding G20 meetings and events to be organized in the country.<br />''<br />''Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other leaders attended a lunch in Parliament today where millet dishes were served as India prepares to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets.<br />''<br />''In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, it was good to see participation from across party lines. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is taking several steps in collaboration with all concerned to spread awareness about millets with the objective of increasing the demand and acceptance of millets.<br />''<br />''AIR correspondent reports, The Special Millets Lunch was organised by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on the Parliament premises. The Ministry took this initiative to promote millet in the country.<br />''<br />''Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhiranjan Chowdhary, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Union Minister Piyush Goyal and other ministers and members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha also attended the lunch.<br />''<br />''They tasted dishes prepared from nutritious cereals like Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi and praised them.<br />''<br />''They appreciated the event and welcomed the Year of Millets. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Ministers of State Kailash Chaudhary and Shobha Karandlaje warmly welcomed everyone on this occasion.<br />''<br />''On the initiative of Prime Minister Modi and the proposal of the Government of India, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets, which will be celebrated with enthusiasm across the country as well as globally. <br />''<br />''<br />''<br />