Principal Secretary, Forests Basant Kumar inaugurated workshop titled ‘Search for Best Techniques of Bamboo Management: Investment in Green Gold’ at the Academy of Administration here on Friday.
Bamboo management and trade experts of international, national and State level, bamboo entrepreneurs and bamboo-related departments’ representatives are participating in the workshop. Its main objective is to develop bamboo art and craftspersons, ensure effective upgradation in skill and working capacity of bamboo craftspersons and entrepreneurs in the State and help bamboo sector beneficiaries solve bamboo-related problems.
Director Madhya Pradesh State Bamboo Mission AK Bhattacharya informed that known as poor people’s timber, bamboo has emerged as an important industry in the country. In view of immense benefits of bamboo production, a number of farmers and industries are evincing interest in it. Bhattacharya informed that Jabalpur’s farmer Ranga is earning Rs 50 lakh per annum from bamboo.
Annually, 75,000 notional tonnes bamboo including 1.50 crore commercial bamboo are produced in Madhya Pradesh, which is 10 percent of total demand. The mission is making efforts to bridge the gap of 90 percent between production and demand so that its commercial and industrial demand can be met and farmers’ income also increases.
The workshop will play an important role in framing future strategy of Madhya Pradesh State Bamboo Mission. It will also pave way for state’s bamboo entrepreneurs access to national and international markets. Bhattacharya informed that online registration facility has also been started by the mission for bamboo entrepreneurs.
Sessions on ‘Global and national view regarding bamboo management’, ‘Innovations, monitoring and evaluation of bamboo management”, ‘Bamboo management in private sector’ etc were held during the workshop on Friday. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Managing Director State Forest Development Corporation R.N. Saxena and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Action Plan) Ajit Sonkiya also spoke on the occasion. Anju Bhadoriya proposed a vote of thanks.