The government, through the North Eastern Region, wants to tap into the huge bamboo resources across the country to develop and boost the bamboo-based industry.
Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs, has emphasized upon the need of more intensive use of bamboo resources of the country. During a virtual Bamboo Exhibition, he asked the Ministry of DONER to formulate a comprehensive Bamboo Policy as most of the bamboo is produced in North East. For industrial use, Gadkari said bamboo yield should be 200 tonnes per acre against about 40 tonnes per acre in case of some varieties. “The greater yield and wider bamboo usage will open up more employment generation especially in North East India,” he said. The minister suggested making available more incentives to bamboo production, processing and handling. He said this will go a long way in developing the bamboo based industry.
Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) said India is destined to play a major role in post-COVID economic resurgence and North Eastern Region will play a crucial role with full exploitation of huge bamboo resources. Singh said it is imperative to make bamboo a Pan India perspective for its growth and utilization; bamboo will be the new fuel of New Engine that is North East for India’s growth story.
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The minister highlighted that the Ministry of DoNER and North Eastern Council is taking all measures for tapping bamboo resources and technical know-how at all India level. The ministry had already decided to develop three bamboo clusters in Jammu, Katra and Samba areas for making of bamboo basketry, agarbatti and bamboo charcoal, as well as setting up of Bamboo Technology Center. Singh said his ministry is exploring bamboo reserves in different parts of the country for exploitation of its full potential. He said they have sanctioned 17 projects, in the last four years, for development of bamboo in North East States, including a Bamboo Industrial Park at Dima Hasao in Assam.
