Through its flagship "Honey Mission" programme, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has taken a giant step toward "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" by creating local employment for unemployed youth.
Today, Manoj Kumar, Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, distributed 100 bee boxes to 10 beneficiaries in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, 200 to 20 beneficiaries in Chhattisgarh's Badekilepal, Turangur, and Bastar districts, and 300 bee boxes to 30 beneficiaries in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district via video conferencing.
In response to the Prime Minister's call for "Self-reliant India," the Khadi and Village Industries Commission identified backward and tribal-dominated districts and distributed 600 B-boxes and 5-day training and equipment to the recipients.
The Chairman of KVIC provided guidelines for providing a proper marketing platform to the competent officers of KVIC. Kumar also directed the development of new guidelines for providing additional necessary equipment in addition to the current tool kit provided to beneficiaries, as well as the use of advanced methods of honey extraction and bee box transportation.
Speaking on occasion, Manoj Kumar praised the initiative and stated that involving youth in beekeeping would create local jobs and increase India's honey production, which is the primary goal of the Honey Mission. This is a fantastic initiative. We have taken another step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat by employing unemployed youth in tribal and backward areas, he said.
The Chairman praised the women beneficiaries of six SHG groups who work in sensitive and remote areas of the country. He also promised to help these women in any way he could. He assured the beneficiaries that all issues raised during their interaction would be resolved. He also requested that the Honey Mission programme benefits be extended to retired army officers.
Vinit Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of KVIC, stated that beekeeping is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Aatmanir Bharta' by promoting local industries to the youth. Beekeeping will not only increase India's honey production, but it will also increase beekeepers' income. Furthermore, products such as beeswax, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom are marketable and thus profitable for the local people."
