Nutri-Cereals Mission: From INSIMP to India’s Millet Promotion Push

Millets are a group of small-seeded cereal crops. India grows many of them. The Government calls the group Nutri-Cereals and also Shree Anna. The NFSNM guidelines name the sub-mission “Nutri Cereals (Shree Anna)”. The crop lists in the Budget speech and in the guidelines differ a little.

1.1 Which crops count as millets?

The Union Budget 2023-24 speech names these Shree Anna crops:

• Jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet) and bajra (pearl millet).
• Kuttu, ramdana, kangni, kutki, kodo, cheena and sama.

The NFSNM guidelines list the Nutri-Cereals that get field support. They are Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Kodo, Barnyard, Proso, Foxtail and Little Millet. Jowar, bajra and ragi are the three major millets. Kodo, barnyard, proso, foxtail and little millet are the five small millets in that list.

1.2 Why does the Government call them Nutri-Cereals?

Because of their food value. PIB says millets are a rich source of protein, fibre, minerals, iron and calcium. It also says they have a low glycemic index. A low glycemic index means the grain raises blood sugar slowly.

PIB records that the Government notified millets as nutri-cereals in April 2018. Millets were also included under the POSHAN Abhiyan. Note the word: PIB says “notified”. Do not add details that PIB does not give.

INSIMP stands for the Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion. It was a Government scheme to promote millets as Nutri-cereals. Start here, because later schemes grew out of it.

2.1 When did it start, and how much money did it get?

The Government announced Rs 300 crore in 2011-12 under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). The money was for promoting millets as Nutri-cereals. INSIMP was built to carry out that announcement. It ran from Kharif 2011. The NFSNM guidelines give its life as 2011-12 to 2013-14, as a sub-scheme of RKVY.

INSIMP began under RKVY, not under the National Food Security Mission. That is a common exam trap.

2.2 What did INSIMP try to do?

The guidelines say the scheme aims to demonstrate improved production and post-harvest technologies in an integrated manner. Demonstrations were held in compact blocks. A demonstration is a plot where farmers can see a better method working.

The scheme covered four groups of millets: sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet and small millets. Small millets are grown by “resource poor tribal farmers in remote interior areas”. So the scheme ran for small millets in all chosen districts, whatever their yield.

2.3 How big was each demonstration unit?

The plan was for 1118 units in 2011-12. Each unit had a fixed area:

• 1000 hectares for sorghum or pearl millet.
• 500 hectares for finger millet.
• 200 hectares for small millets.

Panchayati Raj Institutions helped to pick the villages and farmers. Annexure-IV of the guidelines lists 16 states.

2.4 What did farmers get free?

Farmers in the units got free input kits. A kit held micro-nutrients, fungicides, bio-fertilizers, DAP, urea, potash and pesticides including weedicides. Its cost was Rs 3,000 per hectare for sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet. It was Rs 2,000 per hectare for small millets.

Kits were free for up to 2 hectares per farmer. Farmers also got seed minikits for 0.40 hectare for every hectare covered.

Micro-irrigation equipment was not in the kit. The UPSC 2016 question used this point.

2.5 What else did INSIMP build?

• Seed: an incentive of Rs 3,000 per quintal for hybrid seed and Rs 1,000 per quintal for HYV seed.
• Centres of Excellence: three national demonstration and training centres. They were at the Directorate of Sorghum Research (DSR), Hyderabad, UAS Bengaluru and CCS HAU Hisar.
• Processing: 100 processing units in Krishi Vigyan Kendras, plus 180 processing technologies for local entrepreneurs.

Today the Hyderabad centre is the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR). The NFSNM guidelines say the three centres were set up under INSIMP.

INSIMP did not end with a bang. It was merged into a bigger mission. Then that mission grew a separate millets arm. Follow the dates in order.

3.1 What is the timeline from 2011 to NFSNM?

• 2011-12 to 2013-14: INSIMP runs as a sub-scheme of RKVY.
• From 2014-15: INSIMP merges into the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) as NFSM-Coarse Cereals.
• From 2018-19: NFSM-Coarse Cereals splits in two. One part is Coarse Cereals (Maize and Barley). The other is the Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals.
• During 2024-25: NFSM is renamed the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM).

The Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals covers Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and small millets. It began on the recommendation of NITI Aayog.

3.2 What does the sub-mission fund today?

NFSNM has seven components. One is the Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Shree Anna). For Nutri-Cereals, the guidelines give Rs 7,500 per hectare for demonstrations. This is the same rate as for Maize and Barley varieties.

NFSNM runs in 28 States and 2 Union Territories (Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh). The Cabinet approved continuation of the Mission till 31 March 2026, as the guidelines state.

3.3 Why do sources give different district counts?

Each source describes a different year and a different programme.

Do not mix these numbers. Quote the source and the year with each one.

In 2018 India made millets a national theme. By 2021 the UN had made 2023 the International Year of Millets. The Budget of February 2023 added the name Shree Anna. Each step has its own date.

4.1 What happened in 2018?

PIB records three things for 2018. The National Year of Millets was celebrated in 2018. The Government notified millets as nutri-cereals in April 2018. Millets were included under the POSHAN Abhiyan.

The Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals also began in 2018-19, as section 3 showed.

4.2 How did the UN declare 2023 the International Year of Millets?

India proposed it. PIB says the proposal was supported by 72 countries. The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/75/263 on 3 March 2021, at its 75th session. The title is “International Year of Millets, 2023”.

FAO is the lead agency for the Year. At the FAO opening ceremony in Rome on 6 December 2022, FAO said India presented the proposal and chairs the Steering Committee.

4.3 What did Budget 2023-24 say about Shree Anna?

The Budget speech of 1 February 2023 has a heading “Global Hub for Millets: Shree Anna”. It is in paras 20 to 22. The speech says India is the largest producer and second largest exporter of Shree Anna.

Para 22 says IIMR Hyderabad will be supported as the Centre of Excellence. Its job is sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level.

Trap: Shree Anna is not one of the seven Saptarishi priorities. The seven are listed in para 14. Shree Anna sits under Priority 1, Inclusive Development.

4.4 What is IIMR’s Global Centre of Excellence role?

The PIB explainer of 18 March 2023 says IIMR would be announced as the Global Centre of Excellence at the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference. A PIB release of 7 February 2024 says IIMR Hyderabad has been declared the Global Centre of Excellence. A Millets Experience Centre has also opened at Dilli Haat, New Delhi.

Millet numbers change with the year, the source and the crop list. Always note which one a figure comes from.

5.1 How much do India and the world produce?

The PIB explainer prints FAOSTAT figures for 2019:

PIB of 27 July 2022 says India is 80% of Asia’s millet production and 20% of the global production. It also says India’s average yield is 1239 kg per hectare against a world average of 1229. The release names no survey or year for these yields.

5.2 Which crops and states lead?

Pearl millet leads, and sorghum is second. Two PIB sources give slightly different shares:

APEDA gives 18.59 million tonnes of Shree Anna and Nutri Cereals for 2024-25 (DA&FW final estimate). It lists Rajasthan (29.86%), Maharashtra (13.62%), Karnataka (12.91%), Uttar Pradesh (12.67%) and Gujarat (7.25%) as the biggest producing states in 2024-25.

5.3 Where does India rank as an exporter?

Two official sources give two ranks.

Neither source names the data year. Treat the export rank as unsettled. The PIB explainer gives exports of USD 34.32 million in 2021-22. APEDA gives 138.69 thousand tonnes, worth Rs 543.40 crore (USD 61.57 million), for 2025-26. Its top destinations are the UAE (22.4%), Saudi Arabia (12.7%) and Nepal (7.8%).

Parliament replies and official pages from 2026 show the push moving to processing, buying and seed. Each item below carries its date.

6.1 What help exists for millet processing?

On 17 March 2026 the Agriculture Ministry told the Lok Sabha about two schemes.

• PLI for Millet-Based Products has an outlay of Rs 800 crore. 29 applicants have been approved for units at 45 locations.
• PMFME: millets are the One District One Product in 21 districts of 11 States. 4,612 micro units had approved subsidy of Rs 91.20 crore as on 31 December 2025.

6.2 How are millets bought and given out?

The same reply, and a Lok Sabha reply of 12 August 2026, list the steps. States may buy jowar, bajra and ragi at MSP, plus six minor millets. The steps are:

• The distribution period for millets rose from 3 months to 6-10 months.
• Administrative charges on buying rose from 1% to 2% of MSP.
• Surplus millets can move between states through FCI.

6.3 What about seed, varieties and farmers?

• 21 July 2026: the Sub-Mission on Shree Anna under NFSNM runs in 28 States and 2 UTs. It gives help for demonstrations, certified seed and nutrient and pest management.
• 28 July 2026: the Central Varietal Release Committee released 276 millet varieties during 2014-25. 49 of them are finger millet.
• 28 July 2026: Karnataka reported 76450.35 tonnes of ragi, worth Rs 356.23 crore, bought in Mysuru and Mandya in 2025-26.
• 17 March 2026: ICAR-IIMR coordinated Millet Seed Hubs at Rewa and Dindori in Madhya Pradesh.

UPSC asked about INSIMP directly in 2016. A CDS paper asked about the International Year of Millets in 2023. Read the official wording first. Then check each statement against the facts above.

7.1 UPSC CDS (I) 2023, General Knowledge

UPSC CDS (I) 2023, General Knowledge, Q116.
The resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 3 March, 2021 decided to celebrate the year 2023 as the International Year of
(a) Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development
(b) Glass
(c) Millets
(d) Camelids

Official paper: UPSC question paper. Series A key from UPSC: answer key. Answer: (c).

The official Series A key gives (c) Millets. The resolution of 3 March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.

7.2 UPSC CSP 2016, GS Paper I (INSIMP)

UPSC CSP 2016, GS Paper I, Q48.
With reference to ‘Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with cluster approach.
2. Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have larger stake in this scheme.
3. An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and microirrigation equipment.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Official Series A answer key from UPSC: answer key. Answer: (c).

The official Series A key gives (c) 1 and 2 only. Statement 3 is false. INSIMP’s free kits held nutrients, fungicides, bio-fertilizers and plant-protection chemicals. They held no micro-irrigation equipment.

7.3 What traps should I avoid?

• INSIMP began under RKVY in 2011-12. It did not begin under NFSM.
• The kits had no micro-irrigation equipment.
• INSIMP merged into NFSM from 2014-15 as NFSM-Coarse Cereals. The Nutri-Cereals Sub-Mission started in 2018-19.
• PIB says millets were notified as nutri-cereals in April 2018.
• The UN resolution is dated 3 March 2021. The Year itself is 2023.
• Shree Anna is under Priority 1 of the Budget, not a Saptarishi priority of its own.
• Export rank differs by source: second in the Budget speech, fifth in the PIB explainer.