Agriculture Minister launches 22 Bamboo Clusters in 9 States, says India moving towards Increasing Export of Bamboo Products

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday (8^th September 2020) inaugurated 22 bamboo clusters in nine States – Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Odisha, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand & Karnataka through virtual mode. He also released a logo for the National Bamboo Mission. Acclaiming the success of the National Bamboo Mission, the minister said that India is now gearing up to increase the export of bamboo products.

Tomar said that PM Modi has always strived that local industries must be protected and make progress so that the local artisans get a source of livelihood. Keeping in mind the importance of bamboo, the Indian Forest Act 1927 was modified in the year 2017 to remove bamboo for the category of trees, therefore now anyone can start cultivation and business in bamboo & its products. The agriculture minister said that the use of bamboo has been an ancient tradition in the country and now it is being supported with latest technology. Youth are being given training for bamboo industry.

Tomar called upon the States to take forward the objectives of the Mission that would contribute to PM Modi’s vision of an AatmaNirbhar Bharat via an AatmaNirbharKrishi. The support being given by the Mission to local artisans through locally grown bamboo species would also actualize the objective of Vocal for Local. This will help in increasing farmers’ income and also reduce dependency on imports of some raw material.

The amended National Bamboo Mission was launched in the year 2018-19 for development of the complete value chain of the sector. The Mission is being executed in a hub and spoke model, with the main objective of connecting farmers to markets so as to enable farmer producers to get a ready market for the bamboo grown & to increase supply of right raw material to domestic industry.

In addition, the bamboo ecosystem has been energized with 23 States being supported, including all the eight States of North East. 10 most important species that are required by the industry have been recognized and quality planting material is being made available to growers for plantations.

Source - PIB