Mumbai, 19 September (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that the Maharashtra government will soon implement the bamboo industry policy by focusing on creating a sustainable market to promote bamboo cultivation.
He further said that bamboo cultivation will be useful in meeting the challenges of climate change in the agricultural sector. He was speaking at a bamboo conference held in Mumbai here by Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) and Phoenix Foundation here.
He announced that the state government would implement the bamboo mission in Maharashtra on mission mode.
CM Fadnavis said that bamboo is an important option to bring revolution in the lives of farmers. Bamboo can be a permanent crop for farmers who are constantly facing the effects of climate change. Bamboo is a crop like sugarcane.
Once applied, it does not need to be seen frequently. He said, “crops like cotton and soybean are affected by climate change, but if bamboo is planted, its effects can be reduced,” they commented.
The Chief Minister said that there is a need to create an integrated ecosystem to encourage farmers to cultivate bamboo cultivation. In addition, bamboo demand and supply chain will also have to emphasize.
He said, “It takes three years to get bamboo yield, which is a long period, so researchers should find varieties of bamboo that will be found in two years. If Napier grass is planted with bamboo, it will be beneficial,” he said.
He said that bamboo products will be included in the procurement policy of the state government to promote bamboo production.
“Bamboo cultivation will be emphasized in the districts where there are energy projects in the state. We will launch a major campaign of bamboo cultivation on government fallow land in the state. Along with this, 5,000 trees will be planted in Gadchiroli, keeping in mind the natural habitat.”
He said that farmers will be encouraged to cultivate bamboo through the state run power generation company Mahagenko, which is on the lines of MNREGA, saying that a comprehensive plan will be prepared for this.
“The state government will also determine the market and value of bamboo. In this regard, a policy will be prepared through the Department of Energy and a market for bamboo products,” he announced.
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SJ/PGH