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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday emphasised on the immense scope of millets, especially for Karnataka which is a leading producer of the crop, as she said that start-ups can look at the possibilities of its packaging and speedier marketing.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Bengaluru, she said that India will assume the presidency of G20 (from December 1, 2022 till November 30, 2023) and there are several destinations in Karnataka where G20 meetings will be held.

"I hope and wish and will certainly do my bit for Karnataka to do its branding and to identify those products which can be showcased in G20 meetings," she said, as per a tweet from her office's handle.

"In 2016-17, as an MP from Karnataka, I had come up with the idea of having co-working space in Mangaluru for start-ups. It has now become very popular among youth and is seeing 80-85 per cent occupancy. People are now seeing the meaning of such an exercise," she said, as per another tweet.

Earlier this week, during his monthly broadcast "Mann Ki Baat", Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that 2023 will be celebrated as the International Year of Millets. The UN General Assembly in April 2021 had adopted a resolution which was sponsored by India and declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, with the objective of increasing public awareness about the health benefits of millets.