Delhi, 8 March (H.S.): To strengthen the ‘New Khadi for New India’ movement under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of India, Shri Manoj Kumar, distributed 2,050 bee boxes, honey colonies, and toolkits to 205 beekeepers across six states through video conference from KVIC’s Rajghat office in Delhi.

While addressing, Chairman KVIC Manoj Kumar emphasized the ‘Sweet Revolution’ vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unveiling the ‘Honey Mission’ aimed at distributing bee colonies and bee boxes to beekeepers. A national exhibition held at Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh from January 14 to February 27, 2025, showcased the success of the ‘Khadi Revolution,’ with unprecedented sales of Khadi products totaling ₹12.02 crore. The exhibition featured 98 Khadi stalls and 54 village industry stalls, achieving sales of ₹9.76 crore in Khadi products and ₹2.26 crore in village industry goods. Chairman Kumar noted that the ‘Honey Mission,’ launched in 2017, has benefited over 20,000 participants, distributing 2 lakh bee boxes and colonies. He reiterated the significance of bee farming, which offers honey and bee wax—a valuable commodity in various industries. Highlighting the advancements in the Khadi sector, he revealed that sales have surged from ₹31,000 crore to ₹1,55,000 crore in a decade, creating over 10 lakh jobs, primarily for women. The event included virtual participation from beneficiaries and KVIC officials.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar