Lok Sabha Question No. 4003 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Production of Honey
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4003

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  MARCH, 2018

## PRODUCTION OF HONEY

4003.       DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  increasing  production  of  honey  in  the country; and
- (b) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  and  the  funds  spent  during  the  last three years and the current year in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

(a) & (b): The  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  &  Farmers  Welfare  (DAC&FW), Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare,  Government  of  India  is  implementing  Mission  for Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  for  overall  development  of  horticulture  in  the country.  Under  MIDH,  among  others,  to  promote  beekeeping  in  the  country,  assistance  is provided  for  various  capacity  building/HRD  programmes  (trainings  &  exposure  visits  of farmers/beekeepers,  officers/field workers, etc., seminars/workshops,  etc.), production of nucleus  stock  of  honeybees,  developing  bee  breeders,  distribution  of  honey  bee  colonies, beehives,  supers,  etc.  and  complete  set  of  beekeeping  equipments  under  the  component  of 'Pollination Support through Beekeeping'. The State Departments of Horticulture/Agriculture are the implementing agencies for implementation of the Mission's progrmames/components in the State/field.  National  Bee  Board  (NBB),  a  society  registered  under  Societies  Registration  Act, XXI of 1860, has also been designated as a National Level Agency (NLA) for implementation of various activities/components for development of scientific beekeeping under MIDH.

The  beekeeping  and  honey  production  is  also  being  promoted  under  Rashtriya  Kishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) of DAC&FW.

The year-wise details of funds/subsidies/assistance provided for encouraging beekeeping/honey  production  for  the  last  three  years  period  (2014-15  to  2016-17)  and  the current year (2017-18), under MIDH & RKVY are given as under:

(Rs. in Lakh)

| Sl. No.   | Year    | Assistance Provided/ Funds Sanctioned/ Released   | Assistance Provided/ Funds Sanctioned/ Released   | Total   |
|-----------|---------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------|
| Sl. No.   | Year    | under MIDH                                        | under RKVY                                        | Total   |
| 1.        | 2014-15 | 2166.86                                           | 304.20                                            | 2471.06 |
| 2.        | 2015-16 | 3048.19                                           | 250.00                                            | 3298.19 |
| 3.        | 2016-17 | 3181.13                                           | 84.00                                             | 3265.13 |
| 4.        | 2017-18 | 3462.23                                           | 1500.00                                           | 4962.23 |

Khadi  and  Village  Industries  Commission  implementing  Prime  Minister's  Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for promotion of Khadi and Village Industries which includes assistance for production of Honey. The details of the scheme are as under:

- i. PMEGP is the credit linked subsidy Scheme for setting up Khadi and village Industries units  including  honey  production units  by unemployed  persons. The maximum cost of the  project  eligible  for  financing  under  PMEGP  is  Rs.25.00  lakhs  in  Manufacturing Sector  and  Rs.10.00  lakhs  in  Service  Sector.  Under  this  Scheme,  any  unemployed person may submit his/her application online. The scheme is being implemented through all Public Sector Banks, Selected Private Sector Banks and Co-operative Banks.
- ii.  Margin Money in the form of subsidy, provided according to categories of beneficiaries and geographical location of the unit, as per following details:

| Categories of beneficiaries under PMEGP.                                                                                    | Beneficiaries contributions (of the project cost)   | Rate of subsidy. (of the project cost)   | Rate of subsidy. (of the project cost)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Area (location of the project/ unit)                                                                                        |                                                     | Urban                                    | Rural                                    |
| General category.                                                                                                           | 10%                                                 | 15%                                      | 25%                                      |
| Special Category (including SC/ST/ OBC/ Minorities/Women, Ex-servicemen, Physically Handicapped, NER, Hill & Border Areas). | 05%                                                 | 25%                                      | 35%                                      |

ICAR - All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Honey Bees & Pollinators (HB&P)  having  research  plans  to  increase  the  genetic  diversity  of  the  existing  stock  of  Apis mellifera to breed more efficient strains.

NBB, DAC&FW,  for promotion and development of scientific beekeeping/honey production in the country, has decided to set up Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres (IBDCs)/Centres of Excellence (CoEs) on beekeeping in the country. 14 IBDCs/CoEs, as role model for beekeeping, have been commissioned/ approved by NBB, DAC&FW under MIDH in 14 States, one each in, Haryana, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab, MP, UP, Manipur, Uttarakhand, J&K, TN, Karnataka, HP, Tripura and West Bengal.

The registration of beekeepers has also been started by National Bee Board to address the problem of traceability source of honey. NBB also provide insurance cover of Rs.1.00 lakh to all registered beekeepers.

The above efforts have resulted increase in Honey Production from 76,150 Metric Tones (MTs.) in 2013-14 to 94,500 MTs. in 2016-17. Honey production for the year 2017-18 has been estimated at 1,05,000 MTs.

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