Punjab News Express/Y.S. Rana
CHANDIGARH: Honey seems all set to replace sugar bottle in homes, coffee houses and restaurants. Thanks to ‘Honey Hut’ concept that makes the people more health conscious. Entrepreneur gets the sweet taste of success with his idea of ‘Honey Hut’ when he was awarded the national award (2014-15) to his project for best performing unit under the prime minister employment generation programme (PMEGP) by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Ludhiana at a national level function of the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, GOI.
Paramjit Singh, secretary, Himalayan Ancient Natural Science Society (HANSS) and promoter of Honey Hut concept in the region while talking to Daily Post said that honey business has huge potential. Working on these lines, in 2009 he decided to go for honey business. He had a concept in his mind and the unit has been promoted with the assistance of Khadi and Village Industries Commission and Oriental Bank of Commerce.
He took a loan of Rs 9.80 lakh from Khadi and Village Industries Commission and Oriental Bank of Commerce. He started his concept ‘Honey Hut’ from Uttranchal on an experimental basis is now writing a success story in honey to money business.
Singh also stated that in the beginning he had introduced honey with different flavors. Slowly and steadily, he had introduced honey in all drinks, bakery items, ice creams, cosmetics and soaps. He paid the loan amount to KVIC and Oriental Bank of Commerce and now annual turnover from honey hut touched Rs 5 crore marks and providing employment to 84 people at his Honey Huts. He further revealed that at present he has four honey huts in Uttranchal, two each in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and one each in Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Dwelling on the future plan Mr Singh said that he has planned to open such ‘Honey Hut’ in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Tamil Nadu in coming days.
Born and brought up in a middle-class family in Bilaspur village near Haripur Gular in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Singh has a number of awards to his credit, says that his initiative now has succeeded in boosting the culture of entrepreneurship among rural people and soon may go global. He was awarded ‘Best Motivator’ by the Government of India in 1992. He left the job of Punjab and Sind Bank and set up ‘Honey Hut’ concept. He was also awarded by the Punjab Government for his outstanding services.