Dr Jitendra Singh calls for Bamboo Skill Centres for its full exploitation, branding, packaging and marketing in India and abroad.

New Delhi, July 31, 2020.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has urged the Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) to explore setting up of Vocational Training and Skill Development Centres for Bamboo sector for its full exploitation, branding, packaging and marketing in India and abroad. Chairing a review meeting of the Ministry of DoNER today, the Minister said that CBTC in coordination with National Bamboo Mission will work in this direction to boost the Bamboo economy in the North Eastern Region. Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Skill Centres will propel Bamboo industry with new Start-ups and also enhance livelihood opportunities.

Welcoming the decisions of the Central Government to ban import of finished products and raising the import duty by 25 percent on raw bamboo items, the Minister said that the measures will help the domestic bamboo industries including Agarbatti making in a big way.

Dr. Jitendra Singh added that Bamboo sector can be a main pillar of ecological, medicinal, paper and building sectors in India. He was also apprised about a letter written by Union Agriculture Minister to Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to promote bamboo in a large measure in Housing projects in the North Eastern Region.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said that 10 commercially important species of Bamboo have been identified and the States will take up plantation of these new species on a large scale. Moreover, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Mizoram have been found suitable for Moso Bamboo cultivation widely used in Agarbatti industry. He also directed the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited, Nedfi to undertake a comprehensive Bamboo Study in coordination with other stakeholders and identify project profiles at the earliest.