The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) gave away 1,000 honey-bee boxes to an Assamese tribe in Kaziranga to mark the World Honey Bee Day on Monday.
Claiming it to be a world record of giving away the maximum number of bee-boxes in a single day, KVIC Chairman VK Saxena distributed 1,000 bee boxes among the Mishing tribe in the Kaziranga forest area, beating the previous best of 841 in Israel some two years ago, a KVIC statement said here.
Distribution target
KVIC said it has fixed a target of distributing 1,30,000 bee-boxes across the country by this November, adding that it has so far given away 27,000.
“Being the nodal agency of the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), KVIC will provide loans for setting up units for processing, packaging and labelling honey,” it said.
Saxena said that besides production of 30,000 kg of high-quality honey from these bee-boxes in the Kaziranga forest area, bee-keeping would open up job avenues.
Training
“The development initiatives by KVIC in Assam have given a ray of hope for the tribal people here and they are willing to be a part of the development. Bee-keeping will also enhance the rich flora and fauna of the Kaziranga forest area through cross-pollination,” Saxena said.
Besides distributing bee-boxes, practical training was imparted to 100 beneficiaries in examination of honeybee colonies, acquaintance with apiculture equipment, identification and management of bee enemies and diseases, honey extraction and wax purification.
KVIC had last year established a khadi training-cum-production centre in association with the Assam Forest Department, providing 25 charkhas, five looms and other accessories to artisans at Silimkhowa village in the Kaziranga forest area, the release said, adding that it provided job opportunities to nearly 50 rural families in the area.