PM appreciates Millet Mission of Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday showed interest to visit Chhattisgarh, if ‘Millet Café’ is opened at Raipur. He also appreciated the progress of Millet Mission in the state. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister’s residence at New Delhi. The interaction was for an hour. Talking to media after the meet, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said he apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the progress being made in the state's agriculture and other sectors. He said the state is implementing the Millet Mission, which is produced in abundance. The support price of Kodo-Kutki has been declared Rs 3,000 per quintal. State has established the country’s first ‘Millet Bank’. Around 22 types of millets are produced. Appreciating the progress, the Prime Minister advised to start ‘Millet Café’ in Raipur. He would then visit it, said Baghel. He said the issue of pending state’s due compensation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) to Rs 1,375 crore was raised. The issue of recovery of additional levy from the coal blocks canceled by the Supreme Court in 2014 was also raised. The amount of Rs 4,170 crore of the state's coal block should be released. He added that the issue of coal supply shortage from South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) to the local industries coal mainly sponge iron and steel in the last six months. It has affected the production. The Prime Minister was urged to issue a directive to SECL to ensure adequate coal allocation to the local industries in the state. Baghel said that due to shortage of coal across the country, the passenger trains passing through Chhattisgarh have been cancelled by the Railways. He said the PM was urged to restore the train services and to avoid such cancellations as it had hit the common man’s commutation. He said that the Prime Minister sought progress and status of around 14 central government programmes in the state. The details have been provided to him. Baghel praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not cancelling his appointment, even though a request was made to the Prime Minister Office to reschedule it, after the death of his mother. He said such persons are unique who continue with their duty despite an incident at the home.