Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 4
A programme for distribution of bee boxes, colonies and tool kits under ‘Major Honey Mission’ was held at multi disciplinary training centre (MTDC), Nagaland Khadi & Village Industries Board, Kuda Village on July 4.
The distribution is part of the ‘Sweet Kranti’ (Sweet Revolution), an initiative of the Prime Minister to boost mass production of honey on a mission mode, in the lines of ‘Shwate Kranti’ (milk or White Revolution).
A total of forty selected beneficiaries of Dimapur district are covered under this Rs. 49.78 crores honey mission, which is being implemented by the Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
Deputy Director, KVIC Dimapur, I Athuba Lusang, in his keynote address highlighted the operational guidelines of the Honey Mission. While other states have already reached the production stage under the mission, Nagaland has just started with distribution of bee boxes, bee colonies and tool kits, the KVIC official said.
Lusang also informed on the objectives of the mission, including providing employment and income-generating avenues to both urban and rural unemployed youth. He urged the beneficiaries to be earnest and serious as the KVIC would be physically monitoring their activities and progress on monthly basis.
Principal, MTDC, NKVIB Dimapur, Kuhovi Sema, who spoke on the importance of bee keeping, said taking cognizance of the importance of honey bees in the lives of humankind, 2018 has been declared as the Year of Beekeeping. Beekeeping, he stated, is a sustainable and agriculture supporting activity, which provides nutritional benefits, employment and income generation, besides playing a vital role in maintaining ecological balance.
The principal said in many countries, beekeeping is practiced not only for honey as food but also applied in agriculture for better crop yield, for extraction of wax and in manufacture of cosmetics, medicine and explosives. Beekeepers in the state should also consider such prospects to enhance their income and activities, Kuhovi added.
Objectives of Major Honey Mission
• Create an end-to-end implementation framework for beekeeping skill development, which provides employment opportunities and income generation to agriculturists, beekeepers, and rural and urban unemployed youths
• Enforce nationally acceptable standards of good beekeeping practices in the country
• Offer a passage for overseas market for hive products
• To tap the local and rural natural resources for generation of income and employment to rural and tribal people in selected pockets
• To promote beekeeping for increasing the crop productivity and pollination services avenue for beekeepers and farmers.
