Skip to content

Jowar Roti SHG Processing Unit

Self-Help Group-run jowar (sorghum) roti and millet processing units in Telangana's Mahbubnagar and Nagarkurnool belt are part of the broader effort to commercialise sorghum and minor millets through Rurban and millets-focused schemes. They typically handle cleaning, milling, dough preparation and roti production for roadside dhabas, urban modern retail and institutional buyers.

Overview

The Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM), launched on 21 February 2016 by the Ministry of Rural Development with an initial outlay of Rs 5,142 crore for 300 Rurban clusters, is one of the principal vehicles for such village-economy interventions. The 2023 International Year of Millets and the Government of India's Shree Anna mission added additional value-chain support that intersects with these processing units.

Eligibility

Cluster sites under SPMRM are selected by state governments based on growth potential, with a defined population range of 25,000-50,000 in plain and coastal areas and 5,000-15,000 in hilly and tribal areas. Within selected clusters, registered SHGs, federations and producer groups become beneficiaries of skill, capital and market-linkage support.

Benefit and structure

Processing units typically receive a mix of:

  • Capital subsidy for milling and packaging equipment
  • Training in food safety, packaging and branding
  • Market linkage with retail chains and procurement networks under the Shree Anna mission

Mahbubnagar is the main jowar-growing district of Telangana and the only district in the state cultivating korra (foxtail) millet, which gives the cluster a natural raw-material base for diversified millet products.

Implementation

SPMRM is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development through state-level Rurban authorities, with cluster development plans designed around the demands of the local economy. SHG-run roti and millet units typically operate as federations linked to the State Rural Livelihoods Mission and may also onboard the FPO route (see Farmer Producer Organisation Fpo) for scale-up.

See also Farmer Producer Organisation Fpo, Midh Mission Integrated Horticulture and Kvk Bio Input Resource Centre.

References

  1. Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission — Explainer. Press Information Bureau.
  2. Status of Millets Cultivation and Production in Telangana State, India. Acta Botanica Plantae.