Rural youth of N 24-Parganas to be trained in beekeeping

Kolkata: North 24-Parganas district administration is planning to absorb more number of unemployed youths in the training programme on bee keeping in various sub-divisions.

The district administration already chalked out an elaborate plan for the rural youth, particularly in Bongaon and Basirhat sub-divisions.

The youths would be trained by forming small groups. It was learnt that the district horticulture officials would conduct awareness campaign among rural youths to encourage them in bee farming. It would also convince the people to take up beekeeping as an occupation to increase agriculture products.

The district administrative officials laid emphasis on beekeeping and asked the officers at the Sub-division level to develop it as an alternative source of income for the youths in the remote areas of the district.

According to a senior administrative official, the district has a potential of honey cultivation and around 15,000 metric tonne of honey is produced in the district. It would be increased through various initiatives.

It was learnt that the farmers would be provided with free boxes, honey extractor, smoker, bee veil, knife, hive tool etc so that they take up honey production seriously. Training would also be provided on bee management, bee diseases, swarm control in bee colonies and timely extraction of honey care against Pesticides in colonies.

It has a plan of distributing identity cards among beekeepers so that they can avail various benefits of the state government schemes. It has been often found that some of the beekeepers in the district are yet to be enrolled for their ID cards as a result of which they are getting deprived from certain benefits. The district administration will also ensure that all the people involved in bee farming can get photo identity cards.

According to a senior administrative official in the district many more bee cultivators would soon get the identity cards so that they are brought under various schemes. One of the main purposes behind providing training is to increase the overall production of the honey. The state horticulture department would ensure that beekeepers get a good price for their produce in various state government markets.

The state government will ensure that the bee farmers get a proper market for their products.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed the district officials to impart training among the unemployed rural youths on bee keeping.