KVIC distributes 'charkhas', bee-boxes to tiger-victims' widows in Sunderban

In a bid to provide sustainable earnings to the widows of tiger victims and poor residents of Bali Island in Sunderban, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has distributed 'charkhas' and bee-boxes with live bee colonies among 125 families.

KVIC, under its 'Employment Generation Programme', donated 75 high-yield eight-spindle new model 'charkhas' (NMCs) and 500 bee-boxes to the members of 50 families, a statement issued by KVIC said.

KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena distributed 'charkhas' and bee-boxes at the inauguration of the 'Tiger Victim Khadi Katai Kendra' at a village of Sunderban area.

He said since many of the inhabitants have to go deep into the forest either for collection of 'wild honey' or for fishing in the canals and rivers for their daily livelihood, they are often killed by the tigers or poisonous snakes, subsequently making their families helpless.

"We want to bring down human deaths due to tiger attack to zero. Keeping this in mind, we will help villagers in taking up apiculture and weaving in all possible forms right in the villages so that they do not need to venture deep into the forests," Saxena said.

He further said that KVIC's 'Khadi' Spinning, Training cum Production Centre is linked with a local 'Khadi' institution.

"The 500 bee-boxes that we have distributed today are among 50 bee-keepers' families who were first trained by our apiculture experts," he said.

The statement said that through spinning activities the women will start earning from Rs 150 to Rs 200 per day and from 10 Bee boxes to one person, the men will start earning minimum Rs 50,000 per year.

It further said that those women, who had been trained by the KVIC experts, also received Rs 1,20,000 as their wage loss from the chairman.

A 15-days bee-keeping training to 50 candidates has also been given through expert trainers, the statement said.