By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 11 Mar: The Uttarakhand government has taken a significant step to promote beekeeping and provide self-employment opportunities to landless farmers and youth. Under the beekeeping scheme, the government has increased financial assistance for pollination support from Rs 350 per beebox to Rs 750 per beebox. Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi has expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for this decision.
The Agriculture Minister stated that beekeeping is not just about honey production but also plays a crucial role in enhancing crop productivity through pollination. He emphasised that crops like apples and litchis benefit significantly from bee pollination, leading to higher yields. Encouraging beekeeping will boost Uttarakhand’s agriculture and horticulture sectors, improve farmers’ financial conditions, create self-employment opportunities, and increase crop productivity. Beekeeping will enhance farmers’ income, open new self-employment avenues, and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy.
The Key Benefits of Government Assistance for Farmers and Beekeepers are:
Improvement in Agriculture: Bees aid in the natural pollination process, increasing crop yield.
Boost to Horticultural Crops: Apple, litchi, almond, mustard, and other fruit-flower-based crops will see higher production.
Additional Income from Honey Production: Farmers will earn extra income from honey, beeswax, and other bee-related products.
Reduced Financial Burden on Farmers: The Rs 750 per beebox subsidy will help farmers afford beeboxes more easily.
Promotion of Self-Employment: The scheme will provide employment opportunities to landless youth and unemployed individuals.
Contribution to Environmental Balance: Bees help in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance.
This initiative marks a milestone in strengthening Uttarakhand’s agriculture and rural economy while providing sustainable livelihoods to farmers and youth, said Minister Joshi.
