Prisons Department Launches Beekeeping Livelihood Program For Inmates In Telangana
Inmates will receive practical training in hive maintenance and bee colony management: Officials
Hyderabad: In a progressive step towards inmate rehabilitation and environmental sustainability, the Telangana Prisons and Correctional Services department launched a unique skill development initiative focusing on beekeeping at Cherlapalli central prison here on Saturday.
As part of the initiative, inmates will receive practical training in hive maintenance, bee colony management, honey extraction, wax processing and packaging, and marketing.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Soumya Mishra, Director-General (DG) of Prisons and Correctional Services, said the program was not just about honey but about hope, healing, and second chances, instilling essential life skills such as discipline, teamwork, and responsibility. She called the initiative a model of “confinement to capability” and added that every life is worth reforming.
An inmate from Mahabubnagar shared about his experience stating that he has fear with bees and greed for honey, that the training will help him earn a better livelihood after release and expressed gratitude to the DG Prisons and the department for the opportunity.
Indira Reddy, President of Telangana Bee Hub Society, conducted an insightful session on the importance of bees in agriculture and committed to ongoing technical and skill development training support for the program. She spoke about the therapeutic values of bee venom and its uses in many medicines and in the treatment of cancer.
“It is our responsibility to preserve honey bees which plays a major role in the pollination process. The initiative will not only help inmates for earning livelihood but also save the environment,” Indira Reddy added.
The initiative was inaugurated in the presence of Mahesh M. Bhagwat, Additional Director-General of Police, Law and Order. He said beekeeping, or apiculture, was not just about producing pure and organic honey.
“It is a highly valuable activity that plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and enhancing agricultural productivity through pollination. Honey Bees are silent workers of nature, and their contribution to our ecosystem is immense and irreplaceable,” he said.
B. Babu, Joint Director Horticulture, appreciated the initiative of the Prisons department in encouraging and training the inmates in honey bee cultivation. He explained the subsidy schemes of the government which can be benefitted for inmates. After getting released, the inmates who were interested can avail the scheme which can even provide 100 per cent subsidy.
