Bamboo industry to play crucial role in post-COVID economy: Jitendra Singh

Narendra Modi government is planning to promote domestic bamboo industry which is going to play a critical role in shaping post-COVID ecomy of India, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday.

dressing two separate webinars on 'World Bamboo Day', Singh said rastern region will be one of favourite business destinations of India post-COVID-19 and bamboo is going to be key pillar of ecomic activities. He said many business houses are looking at rastern region to exploit its vast agro-farming resources and people should t miss this opportunity.

"Modi government is planning to promote domestic bamboo industry, which is going to play a critical role in shaping post-COVID ecomy of India," Union Minister for Development of rth Eastern Region (DoNER) said.

Describing bamboo as a silver lining in dark clouds of pandemic, Singh said it will help in shaping ecomy of rast and entire country in post-COVID era.

He said it will also herald a new momentum for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarion call of 'Aatma-nirbhar Bharat' by focussing on “Vocal for Local”. minister said sensitivity with which Modi government views importance of bamboo is evident from fact that it has amended  century-old Indian Forest Act by taking home grown bamboo out of purview of Act, in order to enhance livelihood opportunities through bamboo.

He also welcomed decision of central government to raise import duty by 25 per cent on raw bamboo items.

Singh said this will help domestic bamboo industries like furniture, handicrafts and 'agarbatti' (incense sticks) making in a big way and promote use of bamboo as building material.

He said time has come for National Bamboo Mission to take a big le to make bamboo a common man's utility item and unlock huge potential in this sector in rastern region. He said region could become 'New Engine of New India' with bamboo as a useful fuel.

minister also stated that viability funding from Ministry of DoNER for start-ups have caught imagination of youths in rastern region and it is fast becoming an attractive option for youngsters.

(Im Credits:PTI)