RAIPUR: Millets cafe in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh might look like any other good standard restaurant but will surprise visitors who gain an insight into the inherent benefits of the nutri-cereals used to prepare various relishing food items listed in the menu. The cafe’s role goes beyond any typical eating place as it enlightens the customers, too.
Launched in May last year by the Raigarh district administration, the goal remains to create awareness about the often neglected millets having tremendous health benefits besides to support the “Millet Mission” initiative of the state government. The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets under the ambition propagated by the Indian government. Chhattisgarh, often cited as ‘rice bowl’, aims to become the millet hub of the country.
“Millets are highly nutritious but their potential benefits remain overlooked and ignored. The approach with multi-departmental convergence is key to achieve millet promotion”, said Bhim Singh, who conceptualised it while he was Raigarh collector.
Singh worked with an integrated project for enhancing production, procurement and consumption of millets, especially Ragi with collaboration with Transforming Rural India Foundation. The ownership of the restaurant is with Vikas Mahila Kshetra Sangh, a national urban livelihood mission self-help group organisation, that runs it with positive results.
“We not just offer a range of healthy food in our self-sustainable face but one can relish th dishes here”, said Rohini Patnaik, who heads the operation of the cafe. Food connoisseurs are moved by the popular dishes such as millet cheela, dosa, millet momos, millet pizza, millet manchurian and kodo biryani among others.