New Delhi, Sep 29 : MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt on Friday inaugurated two-day National Conference on 'Millets for Military Ration and Specific Nutritional Requirements'. The conference was organised by Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), the Mysuru-based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The conference will deliberate on the scientific facts for the adoption of millets-based food for the services, exploring millets for sustainable agro-processing practices at terrains of troop deployment, identifying and resolving the challenges in millet processing, preservation and storage for sustained nutritional and food security. The Ministry of Defence said that conference will identify innovative ways to integrate millets into the diet of the Services for improved health and endurance and facilitate discussion on millets-based enterprises among research organisations, government agencies, policy makers and supply chain managers. The MoS said that the DFRL is not only spreading awareness among the public but also working towards ensuring the supply of millets to the armed forces personnel to meet their nutritional requirements. The ministry of defence said that the major technical themes of the conference include nutrition and health benefits of millets, millets in military ration issues, challenges, opportunities, recent advances in millet processing and value-added products, networking of supply chain management among stakeholders and policy interventions in the promotion of millets. Ajay Bhatt also inaugurated the exhibition organised by DFRL, wherein 17 industries are participating. He also launched the first biodegradable water bottle in the country developed by DFRL. /IANS