Modernising the agriculture sector is the “need of the hour” and the country has already lost a lot of time in doing this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. On the 75th episode of his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme, he said: “Modernization is essential in all fields of life, otherwise it becomes a burden at times. In India’s agriculture sector, modernization is the need of the hour. It’s very late, we have already lost a lot of time.” The Prime Minister said: “To generate new employment opportunities in the Agriculture Sector, to increase the income of farmers, it is equally important to adopt new alternatives, innovations along with traditional agricultural practices.” “The country has experienced this during the white revolution. Now bee farming is emerging as a similar alternative. Bee farming is becoming the foundation of a honey revolution or sweet revolution in the country. Farmers, in large numbers, are associating with it; innovating,” Modi said. During the 32-minute programme, the Prime Minister narrated several examples of farmers adopting new methods to increase their income. “For instance, in Gurdum village in Darjeeling, West Bengal, at such heights of the mountains, despite geographical challenges, people of the village have started honey bee farming. The honey produced here is in great demand. The income of farmers is also increasing,” Modi said. The Prime Minister said: “The result of this hard work of the farmers is that the production of honey in the country is continuously increasing, and annually, nearly 1.25 lakh tons is produced, and out of this produce a large quantity of honey is also being exported to foreign countries.” Modi stated that bee farming does not lead to income solely from honey, but bee wax is also a very big source of income. “Our country currently imports bee wax, but our farmers are now rapidly transforming this situation…that is, in a way contributing in the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign,” he said. The Prime Minister spoke about the ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ being celebrated to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence. The Prime Minister also recounted the ‘Janata Curfew’ imposed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak last year. “It was an unprecedented example of discipline; generations to come will certainly feel proud at that. Similarly, expressing honour, respect for our Corona Warriors, ringing thaalis, applauding, lighting a lamp! You cannot imagine how much it had touched the hearts of corona warriors…,” Modi said. He said that it’s a matter of pride that India is running the world’s largest vaccination programme.
