MADURAI: An awareness programme on consumption of millets and its benefits to lead a healthy life was organised by the Food Safety Department in association with The American College in Madurai on Wednesday.

The programme titled, ‘Eat Right Millet Mela’ was inaugurated by Madurai Collector MS Sangeetha in the presence of G Thalapathi, Madurai North MLA, District Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Jayaram Pandian and M Davamani Christopher, The American College Principal.

With the active participation of a large number of students, twenty stalls displaying millets based food products were set up. After the inauguration, the Collector along with officials took stock of the stalls. Jayaram Pandian said the programme was aimed at creating awareness and inculcating millet based healthy dietary habits in young minds and working people.

As many as hundred millet based food items, including ‘muruku’, ‘payasam’, ‘idli’, ‘paniyaram’ and ‘biryani’ prepared by the students were available at the stalls. Earlier, a yoga session was conducted with the participation of seventy students and bikeathon with the involvement of three hundred students as part of the programme, he said.