Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 today, February 1, by stating that this is the first budget in Amrit Kaal. The minister emphasised that India is at the forefront of popularising millets and introduced efforts to make India a global hub for millets.

To aid India towards the aforementioned path, the minister stated that the Indian Institute of Millets Research in Hyderabad will be made into a centre of excellence. "...The institute will be supported as the Centre of Excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level," the minister added.

The minister listed out various millets such as Jowar, Ragi, Ramdana, Cheena, Sama, Bajra, Kutu, Kangni and so on, and stated that they have various health benefits and have been used in Indian food for centuries. To recall, the United Nations had earlier declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millet, following a proposal by India.

The Union Budget for 2023-24 (April 2023 to March 2024) would be the first normal budget after the COVID-19 shock and amid global geopolitical developments.