Bengaluru: The first incubation centre earmarked for millets will start working within a month under Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) in Bengaluru to help growers and millet-related industries.

This would be a great forum for the new industrialists of the state. For the first batch, though hundreds of applications are expected, it has been decided to select 30 people and impart training.

According to IIMR sources, the first incubation centre for millets gets financial assistance from the Central government. Though India witnesses hundreds of crore of turnover in the millet business, Karnataka itself holds a share of more than 50 %. As even the IT-BT companies also facing towards it, this industry is proving to be a great forum.

Agriculture minister Krishna Byregowda said that the state government also thinking of an incubation centre in the state and discussions are over with National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). Speaking at the international organic- millets international fair, he said the established incubation centres will be linked with all agriculture universities and they will be mainly utilized to guide those who come up with an idea of agri-start-ups. It also helps increases employment opportunities, he said.