Secretary to the President, Smt. Omita Paul inaugurated a bee-keeping training programme in Rashtrapati Bhavan today (May 16, 2017).

Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary to the President said that many new initiatives have been taken in Rashtrapati Bhavan in the field of horticulture in the last five years including plantation of new trees and introduction of rare varieties of flowers such as Tulips etc.

The honey produced in Rashtrapati Bhavan will be of a unique quality in view of the rich flora in the area. After training the KVIC will install five hundred bee boxes in different phases in the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises. Besides, the apiary is expected to boost the flora and fauna in and around the President’s Estate and increase the crop yield by at least 25 per cent.

KVIC Chairman, Shri V. K. Saxena said that the participants of the training programme would be apprised of the comprehensive scope and significance of apiculture, important considerations and tips to maintain apiaries and value of bee-keeping in maintaining the flora and fauna, etc. The programme has been launched by KVIC following the call of ‘Sweet Revolution’ given by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.

OSD (Horticulture), Rashtrapati Bhavan, Shri U. D. Kukreti informed that the training programme will be for a duration of five days and participants will include gardeners/staff of the Department of Horticulture in Rashtrapati Bhavan and ladies of Self Help Groups of Rashtrapati Bhavan.