Progress of rural population to transform us into a developed nation: Agri Minister Tomar

Narmada: World Bee Day was celebrated today with great enthusiasm. On this occasion, a national level function was organized in Tent City-II, Ekta Nagar, Narmada, Gujarat in the in presence of Narendra Singh Tomar,
The Minister Tomar inaugurated an Exhibition at the venue of event as well as Honey Testing Laboratories and Processing Units at Pulwama, Bandipora and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir, Tumkur in Karnataka, Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Pune in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand in a virtual mode from Gujarat.
During interaction with . Tomar and other dignitaries, the beekeeping farmers of different States said that their income has increased considerably due to this additional activity. He said that about 55 percent of India’s population is rural and the country will progress only with the progress of more than half of the rural population to transform it into a developed nation.
Union Minister Tomar said that the Government is working very seriously to bring Sweet Revolution in the country under the guidance of Prime Minister. The Government of India has set up world class laboratories in the country; the centrally funded scheme, ‘National Beekeeping and Honey Mission’ aims to establish 5 big regional and 100 small honey and other Bee Products testing laboratories, out of which 3 world class state-of-the-art laboratories have been setup.
Whereas 25 small laboratories are in the process of establishment. Efforts are being made that small farmers do not have to travel far for honey testing. The Government of India is also providing assistance for setting up of Processing Units. More than 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of honey is being produced in the country, out of which more than 60 thousand metric tonnes of natural honey is exported. In order to bring qualitative upgradation of domestic honey to attract the world market, the Government of India and the State Governments are making concerted efforts and focusing on capacity building of bee keepers for production honey by adopting scientific techniques.
Tomar said that when Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he set new dimensions in the development of Gujarat. His government remained sensitive towards the development of poor and small farmers in Gujarat. In terms of poverty alleviation, employment generation, development of health facilities, adequate availability of means of irrigation to the farmers, Gujarat performed excellently under the leadership of Modi ji and got succeeded. The State has become a role model for its development among others.
Tomar said that inequality should end in the country and there is a need to bring change in the standard of living of the poor to uplift there socio-economic status and the Government of India is committed to work in this direction. The structured programs and schemes one after the other are being implemented under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister. The opening of Jan Dhan accounts paved the way for opening of accounts of more than 43 crore people in the bank as on date and associated with the banking system. These accounts were opened on zero balance, in which Rs 1.46 lakh crore has been mobilized, which strengthened the economy of the country.
The Union Minister said that similarly, small farmers of the country have been focused on schemes like FPO and Honey Mission. A special package of Rs. 500 crore under self-reliant India campaign for beekeeping has been given.
The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Kailash Choudhary said that the government has provided necessary resources along with new technology to the farmers through various schemes for beekeeping. The government is working on a mission mode to promote beekeeping, so that the income of the farmers increases. Choudhary said that Prime Minister Modi has worked continuously for the betterment of the farmers, even during the Covid pandemic.
The Agriculture Minister of Gujarat, Raghavji Patel expressed happiness over the selection of the State of Gujarat by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for organizing this event. He urged the farmers of Gujarat to adopt scientific beekeeping for better income generation.
Mateja Vodeb, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Konda Reddy Chavva, FAO Representative to India, Mr. Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, DA&FW, Dr. Prabhat Kumar, Horticulture Commissioner, DA&FW, Mr. Meenish Shah, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board, senior officers of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Government of Gujarat and large number of farmers/beekeepers and stakeholders associated with honey production participated in the event.

KR Desk