Telangana: Millets Plaza comes up at Kothagudem railway station

Boarding or getting down a train at Kothagudem railway station would now give passengers an opportunity to purchase organic foods

Kothagudem: Boarding or getting down a train at Kothagudem railway station would now give passengers an opportunity to purchase organic foods that were packed with essential nutrients.

A ‘Millets Plaza’, has been set up at the railway station as part of Indian Railways ‘one station one product’ initiative. Raw millets and food products made of millets were being displayed and sold at the outlet.

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The ‘one station one product’ was aimed at encouraging indigenous and specialised products and crafts of the local region by providing display and sale outlets at railway stations across South Central Railway zone, informed Millets Plaza organiser G Suguna Rao.

Sajjalu (pearl millet), Korralu (foxtail millet), Arikelu (kodo millet), Samalu (little millet), Udalu (barnyard millet), sorghum (great millets), Ragulu (finger millets) and maize were available at the stall.

Products like sesame laddu, flaxseed laddu, wheat grass powder, natural honey, snacks made of millets, grains related flour, ravva (semolina), multi-mix powder and special snacks were available for sale at the stall, he said.

Suguna Rao, a naturopathy expert, told Telangana Today here on Saturday that naturally prepared foods were a good diet for all as they were high in antioxidants and dietary fiber. 100 grams of rice, wheat has 0.2 to 1.2 grams fiber while millets have 8 to 12.5 grams and contains proteins, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins.

The passengers visiting Millets Plaza were being explained about how to use millets and their cultivation method to promote millets use and to create awareness among public about their health benefits, besides giving tips on making food items like ambali, bread, upma dosa, idli, pongali pulihora using millets, Suguna Rao explained.

Railway senior commercial inspector Sathish appealed to the passengers to make use of organic products. Eating food items grown with chemicals was damaging to health and the scheme was started with the intention of providing organically grown grain and food items to passengers.

Master EK Homeo Dispensary organiser Gopala Rao, station master SYK Pasha, Kothagudem Municipality green ambassador Mokkala Venkataiah, nature lovers Mustafa, Dayasagar and others were at the inauguration ceremony.