CM announces to cover honey under Bhavantar Bharpai scheme

Kurukshetra

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today announced to cover honey under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, on the lines of horticulture crops in Haryana. The CM made the announcement at a workshop on beekeeping organised at the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre, Ramnagar, Kurukshetra.

The CM further announced that arrangements would be made for honey sales at the centre, and facilities for storage and quality testing would also be provided there. Soon, a Quality Control Laboratory would be established at a cost of Rs 20 crore. In addition, the Ramnagar centre would be developed into a national-level institute where advanced and scientific research related to beekeeping could be undertaken, Saini said.

While addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, “Beekeeping is a major source of additional income for farmers and also enhances crop productivity. To realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a “Sweet Revolution,” Haryana is moving forward at a rapid pace. The country’s first Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre was established with the cooperation of Israel, where training is being imparted to farmers. The centre also has facilities for honey processing and bottling.”

He said, “The state government has formulated the — Beekeeping Policy – 2021 — under which a target has been set to prepare 7,750 beekeepers and produce 15,500 metric tonnes of honey by the year 2030. Along with beekeeping, horticulture has been made the pillar of agricultural diversification. In 2014, the horticulture area in the state was 1.17 lakh acres, which has now increased to 2.60 lakh acres.”

“In 2018, the state government launched the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana to protect farmers from losses. It has come to light that there has been a heavy fluctuation in the price of honey in the past few years, and it also came to Rs 70 per kg, which is less than the cost of production. To protect beekeepers from such losses, honey will be covered under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana,” he added.

He also urged the youth to launch honey brands and market their products globally through online platforms. The government would provide financial support and technical guidance at every step, he said.

The CM also held a meeting with the office-bearers of the Haryana Oil Mills Association during which he said the government always stood together with traders who worked tirelessly for the development of the state.

Responding to traders’ long-pending demand, the Chief Minister announced a reduction in the lump sum fee charged on binola machines from Rs 42,000 to Rs 21,000.

Later, the CM released a fodder grant of Rs 1.80 crore for 19 gaushalas in Kurukshetra district. He said the state government would release a total of Rs 88.50 crore as fodder subsidy for 605 gaushalas across Haryana.

He said in 2014–15, the budget for Haryana Gau Seva Aayog was only Rs 2 crore while the present government had raised it to Rs 595 crore this year. The process of purchasing 800 e-rickshaws for gaushalas was underway, he said.