The minimum support price for honey from apiculture in mountainous districts and plains was declared at Rs 250 per kg and Rs 120 per kg respectively here on Tuesday. Additionally, various types of facilities will be provided to encourage apiculture along with farming and horticulture in the state. Uttarakhand Agriculture, Horticulture and land Consolidation minister for mountainous villages, Harak Singh Rawat said this while chairing meeting with officials regarding apiculture board, agriculture and horticulture.
Rawat said that bee keeping is an important commercial activity for achieving the desired improvements in livelihood and economy in the mountainous regions. In addition to the minimum support price of Rs 250 per kg and Rs 120 per kg for honey produced in mountain districts and plain districts respectively, the minister also said that Rs five per kg of honey will be provided as a bonus. Two units each will be operated in Garhwal and Kumaon regions for honey processing. The State Government will also provide subsidy to those interested in operating a processing unit. The minister also directed officials to soon prepare and present the proposal for regularisation of employees who in 2013 completed five years of service at the Herbal Research and Development Institute in Gopeshwar, Chamoli district. Rawat also directed officials to prepare the structure needed to fill approved vacant posts in the horticulture department in coordination with the personnel department.
Earlier, Pratapnagar MlA Vikram Singh Negi met the minister regarding works related to Jakhinda campus of the forestry and horticulture university and the university’s research extension and horticulture training centre in Pratapnagar among other issues. The MlA demanded that provision should be made for the budgetary requirement for these works so as to enable students of the region to benefit from such institutions. The minister directed the officials concerned to make the required budgetary provision, adding that these works as announced by chief minister Harish Rawat should be completed on time. Apart from Negi, the Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry (UUHF), Bharsar, vice chancellor Mathew Prasad, additional secretary of horticulture, Tikam Singh Panwar and horticulture director VS Negi and other departmental officials were also present on the occasion.