DC Tuensang Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa and others during the Millet Mela held at GHSS Auditorium Tuensang on August 29. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Tuensang | August 29
Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM), Department of Rural Development organised a ‘Millet Mela’ in collaboration with Government Higher Secondary School lower section as a part of the International Year of Millet.
The event took place at GHSS Auditorium Tuensang, with Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa, Deputy Commissioner of Tuensang, gracing the occasion as the special guest on August 29.
Lithrongla encouraged the SHGs members to “preserve” the traditional seeds of the millets and cultivate it in bigger quantity. Further, she also highlighted on the importance of “seed banks” as very necessary and the concerned department to intervene for market linkage.
Encouraging the farmers to remove the tag on the millets as “poor man’s food”, she exhorted that the NSRLM Tuensang should focus on engaging the millet farmers in thousands. She also stated that this kind of event should be organised as a grand district activity in collaboration with other departments as well.
Ebou Chang, BDO Sangsangnyu block claimed that Nagas have stopped cultivating this “golden grain” when rice was introduced. He stated that, “Earlier millet was the “staple food” of the Nagas, and infact it’s a super food which is good for preservation, resilient crop, good for cultivation in this challenging environment and it is economically viable than rice.
The event was also attended by SDO (C) Tuensang, Senior Principal, GHSS Tuensang, District Agriculture Officer Tuensang, District Horticulture Officer Tuensang, District Welfare Officer Tuensang, Chief Medical Officer Tuensang, District Education Officer Tuensang and students of GHSS lower section, Tuensang.
Earlier, Thrikyuse Sangtam, Assistant District Program Manager, NSRLM Tuensang mentioned that they have promoted millet in five blocks reaching out to 395 farmers to engage and intervened in 39 villages.
The programme was chaired by Hongsangsonla, AC Livelihood, Sangsangnyu meanwhile welcome address and a note on Millet Mela was delivered by Thrikyuse Sangtam, ADPM, Tuensang.
Short speeches were also delivered by Ebou Chang, BDO, Sangsangnyu and Tsalito I/C GHSS lower section. Later, the vote of thanks was delivered by Sepila M Sangtam, District Functional Specialist (Farm).
A millet recipe competition was organised coinciding with the midday meal for the students of GHSS Tuensang lower section. Noklak block came in the 1st positing winning a cash prize of Rs 20,000 followed by Chessore block and Panso block winning 2nd and 3rd position bagging cash prize of Rs 15,000 and 10,000 respectively. Consolation prizes of Rs 5000 each were given to Thonoknyu and Shamator blocks.
