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La Gazette de L' État de Poudouchéry
The Gazette of Puducherry
PART - II
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▪ 2018 } | 5 { No. 67 Poudouchéry Mercredi 5 Decembre 2018
No. Puducherry Wednesday 5th December 2018
(14 Agrahayana 1940)
GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY
CHIEF SECRETARIAT (AGRICULTURE)
(G.O. Ms. No. 27/Ag., Puducherry, dated 4th December 2018)
NOTIFICATION
Approval of Government of Puducherry is conveyed for implementation of the Scheme "Bee and Me" in Union territory of Puducherry for empowerment of rural-women folk through Bee keeping and for the said purpose hereby notifies the guidelines for the Scheme as appended.
2. This issues with the concurrence of Finance Department vide
I.D. No. 2106/FC/FD/F5/A3, dated 10-10-2018.
(By order)
UNDER SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT
(AGRICULTURE).
[941] 942 LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT [PART–II
GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME "BEE AND ME"
1. Introduction
1.1 It has been announced in the Budget (2018-19) to encourage beekeeping as an income guarantee Scheme covering women self help groups of all the villages in the Union territory of Puducherry. Accordingly, "Bee and Me" Scheme proposes to supply equipments for bee keeping at 40% subsidy after imparting training besides, availing Bank loans.
1.2 In spite of strenuous efforts and implementation of farmers- oriented developmental schemes/activities, retaining farmers/farm women in the field of agriculture has become a challenge. The uncertainty prevailing in agriculture production and marketing opportunities has also become a challenge. It is felt necessary to advise farmers to go for agriculture-related additional revenue generating enterprises in order to achieve "Doubling of Farmers Income 2020". Beekeeping is one among the additional revenue-generating enterprises that could add up farmers income besides its positive effect on pollination of major crops. Beekeeping does not require more area and women folk can take the work as an income generation activity. Creating awareness, motivating and involving the farm Women/Self Help Groups is an ideal platform for popularizing the Beekeeping (apiculture). Small-scale "Beekeeping" can contribute significantly to livelihood security, particularly the rural women folk.
2. Objective
2.1 This project proposes to support poor families in rural areas through the concept of sustainable Beekeeping and duly providing them with, training, education, financial support and technical cooperation among other things. The objectives of the Scheme are as follows, among others;
(i) Increase the technical knowledge and skills of rural women
(ii) Increase the income
(iii) provide healthy honey production
(iv) provide safe and healthy honey to consumers
(v) Promote cooperation and empowerment of rural women.
(vi) Increase agricultural production through effective cross
pollination by Bees.
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PART–II] LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT
2.2 This Scheme also proposes to target the Women/Self Help Groups in the rural areas with an aim to provide them additional source of income and make them financially self supportive.
3. Strategies
The following strategies will be followed to implement the project,
among others;
(i) Identification of Self Help Groups
(ii) Skill development training on Beekeeping, Value addition,
etc.,
(iii) Distribution of Bee colonies and Bee hives at subsidized
cost through the National Horticulture Mission.
(iv) Arrangement for obtaining loans to the Self Help Groups
through PKVIB/Gramin Banks, etc.,
(v) Collection, consolidation and marketing of Honey
through PKVIB/NGO's/Private Companies, etc.,
(vi) Effecting payments to the Women Self Help Groups, etc., after settlement of the loan component with interest subvention as followed in Agriculture Department Schemes.
(vii) Federation/Production Organizations for Beekeepers to
take up the marketing, etc.,
4. Implementation
4.1 Selection of Women Self Help Groups, etc.,
The identification of targeted beneficiary is a major step for which a core group of officials comprising of Women Agricultural Officers of Department and Training Assistance (Home Science) of PKKVK/KVK, Karaikal will be formed. The core group members will be divided into sub-groups and each sub-group will be allotted specific Nos. of villages for their jurisdiction responsibility. The sub-group members have to visit their jurisdictional villages and identify beneficiary women and form the women groups and tender personal guidelines. The sub-groups of officials will also create awareness about the livelihood project of Beekeeping. Beneficiaries will be selected by the respective sub-group. The Additional Director of Agriculture (Horticulture) will approve the list of beneficiaries identified by the core group.
944 LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT [PART–II
4.2 Training
After identification of targeted beneficiary, they will be trained
in honey Beekeeping, extraction, marketing and exposure visit if, required
will be conducted. Experts in the field of honey Beekeeping from
Agricultural Colleges/Universities, Khadi and Village Industries
Commissions, etc., will be invited to impart training. Atleast one number
of Technical and Marketing training will be conducted for each group.
The expenditure towards conduct of training will be met from National
Horticultural Mission/ATMA/DRDA/PKKVK, Puducherry.
4.3. Distribution of Beekeeping units
Beekeeping equipments consists of the following components :-
(i) Honey bee colony (Nucleus Bee hive unit with queen of
Indian Bee).
(ii) Bee hives (Bee hive wooden box with teak frame honey
comb, Gl stand and wooden top) with lock and key system,
one smoker and one bee vile knife along with one brood
chamber with honey chamber.
(iii) Equipments such as honey extractor (Gl) and food grade
container (Gl) (30 kg.) net, etc.,
The Beekeeping equipments will be procured by the Department
through service providers to be identified on competitive basis by
observing codal formalities. Each beneficiary will be supplied with a unit
of Bee hive and colonies and one set of equipments as per the approved
pattern of assistance. The subsidy portion of 40% of the cost of
equipments as per the approved pattern of assistance under National
Horticulture Mission only will be passed on to the identified
beneficiaries. The suppliers of Beekeeping unit will be responsible to
transfer of bee colony at the beneficiary site and shall replace the
colonies in case of migration within 90 days. After installing the bee
hives and further upon production of satisfactory certificate from the
beneficiary, the entire amount will be released to the approved supplier
through Bank from which Women Joint Liability Groups(JLG) will be
availing credit facilitated by NABARD.
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4.4 Collection and consolidation of Honey
For each Self Help Group, one member will be identified to lead and coordinate with the other members of Self Help Group for extraction, collection and consolidation of Honey. The Coordinator nominated shall maintain a register with regard to quantity of honey supplied by each member and amount of share belongs for each member. The identified company viz Khadi and Village Industries Board or any other identified buyer as the case may be will purchase the honey directly from the Coordinator and pay the sale amount to the individual beneficiary account as per the list furnished by the Coordinator.
4.5. Arrangement of Loan to the Self Help Groups and repayment
Out of the total cost of the beekeeping unit, 40% of the cost will be borne by the Agriculture Department under National Horticulture Mission programme by way of back ended subsidy. The entire cost of the units for each beneficiary will be made available to the beneficiaries by way of JLG loans from State Co-operative Banks, etc., facilitated by NABARD. After submission of application by the individual beneficiary and upon due certification from the Department, the Bank concerned will finance the beekeeping units and the total cost will be released to the approved supplier. The subsidy amount at 40% of the total cost will be released to the Bank so as to credit the same with the loan account of each beneficiary. There will be a moratorium for repayment of loan for the first year. From the second year onwards, repayment shall start in equal instalments. Arrangement shall be made for repayment of loan in instalment from the sale proceeds by way of creating linkage between purchaser, Bank and beneficiary. Introducing Insurance Scheme for the project shall also be capped.
4.6 Marketing
To start with the implementation of the scheme and to motivate the foeneficiary on the existence of backward linkages on marketing of their produce a reliable company who has experience in Honey Marketing will be identified by the Department, by observing codal formalities. Further, purchase agreements shall be signed with the Company for procurement of honey at mutually agreed rate and for timely settlement of payment. Further, it is clarified that in case, if, any beneficiary do not agree to the rate offered by the Company, there shall not be any binding on the beneficiary to supply at the rate fixed by the Company and they are free to market their produce at their will.
946 LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT [PART–II
4.7 Formation of federation for Beekeepers
The success of sustainable livelihood of farm women through beekeeping shall move from self sufficient entrepreneurship to commercial setup. Accordingly, JLG for specific activities such as beekeeping may federate at village/block levels. On their stabilization JLG's in clusters could come together as a cluster federation/producer company to contribute entire value chain/achieve economies of scale in procurement, processing, marketing, etc.,
5. Monitoring and Evaluation
5.1 In order to ensure the successful implementation of the project, the core group formed for the purpose will periodically review the activities and discuss with beekeepers the progress and the problem faced if any. The monitoring report which includes the current activity and steps to be taken for preventing the barrier faced and the solution that have been proven to be effective shall be prepared by the core group once in a quarter and submit the same to the Director of Agriculture. The sub-group shall also submit the monthly .report to the Directorate.
5.2 The evaluation shall be done at the end of the first year to review the goals, strategies and work plan based on which modification and improvements may be done. The Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare shall be overall-in-charge of the project.
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