The Special Protection Group (SPG) has installed bee-boxes with live bee-colonies provided by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in its headquarter premises at Dwarka here yesterday. The advice for this was given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his recent visit to the SPG Headquarters. Besides production of honey, this will also promote growth of flora in and around the campus since bees bring about cross-pollination.

The SPG officials had recently contacted the KVIC officials for guidance and training to set up an apiary in their campus. According to KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, three SPG gardeners were provided practical training for examination of honeybee colonies, acquaintance with apicultural equipments, identification and management of bee enemies and diseases, honey extraction and wax purification and management of bee colonies in spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter seasons in KVIC's training centre. The bee-boxes were then installed in presence of the SPG officials.

Shri Saxena, said that KVIC has distributed over 1.10 lakh bee-boxes across India in last one and half years. This has created over 11,000 new jobs for the farmers, unemployed youths and tribal people; 430 metric tonnes of honey worth Rs 4 crore has been extracted through these bee-boxes only.

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NP/SKP/IA