Union Ministers Shri JP Nadda and Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launch ‘SEHAT Mission’

Newdelhi:11/05/28:Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, and Chemicals and Fertilisers, Shri JP Nadda, and Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday launched the ‘SEHAT Mission’ in Delhi, describing it as a major national initiative under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that seeks to connect agriculture, nutrition and public health through scientific collaboration. The mission has been jointly launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) with the objective of building a framework for ‘Healthy Food, Healthy Farms and a Healthy India’. Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, ICMR Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl, and ICAR Director General Dr ML Jat were also present during the launch programme.

Addressing the gathering, Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda said the ‘SEHAT Mission’ represents a major transformation in India’s policy-making approach, where the government is no longer focusing only on treatment but also on prevention, early detection, and continuous care. He said the initiative demonstrates that India is now moving ahead with a proactive rather than reactive healthcare approach.

The Union Minister referred to the Indian philosophical principles of “Hitbhuk, Mitbhuk, and Ritubhuk,” saying these ideas remain relevant even today because beneficial, balanced, and seasonal food forms the true foundation of health. He said the time has come for India to seriously deliberate not only on “what people should eat” but also on “what the country should grow”.

According to Shri Chouhan, the ‘SEHAT Mission’ has been launched with precisely this objective in mind, with ICAR and ICMR joining hands to create a scientific chain connecting farms, food plate,s and public health. He said the mission would focus on bio-fortified crops, nutrient-rich food products, integrated farming systems, health and safety measures for farmers, dietary solutions for lifestyle diseases and the ‘One Health’ approach.

Shri Chouhan said India today has adequate foodgrain production, but the country’s next major target should be nutrition-rich agricultural production. He emphasised the need to promote bio-fortified crops and varieties enriched with zinc, iron, and other nutrients, as well as traditional grains such as kodo millet, kutki, jowar, ragi, and bajra.

Congratulating scientists, officials,s and participating institutions associated with the initiative, Shri Chouhan said the coming together of agriculture and healthcare would benefit not only India but humanity as a whole. The mission’s full form — ‘Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation’ — was also outlined during the programme. Officials said ‘SEHAT’ is a joint national mission of ICAR and ICMR aimed at linking agriculture with better nutrition, disease prevention, farmer welfare,e and science-based policymaking.