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Mumbai, Oct 14 (IANS) The Maharashtra Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday approved the Bamboo Industry Policy 2025, which aims to attract investments worth Rs 50,000 crore and create over five lakh employment opportunities during the implementation period.
According to an official statement, 15 dedicated bamboo clusters will be created in the state, and the government aims to enter the carbon credit market. The policy proposes to promote bamboo cultivation and processing industry in the state, as it will pave the way for providing another eco-friendly and sustainable income option to farmers like cash crops.
CM Fadnavis had recently said that the state 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 tackling the challenges of climate change in the agriculture sector, adding that the state government will implement the Bamboo Mission in Maharashtra on mission mode.
“Bamboo is an important option to revolutionize the lives of farmers, and it can be a sustainable crop for farmers who are constantly facing the impacts of climate change. Bamboo is a crop like sugarcane. Once planted, it does not require frequent tending. Crops like cotton and soybean are affected by climate change, but if bamboo is planted, its impact can be reduced,” he commented.
The Chief Minister said that there is a need to create an integrated ecosystem to encourage farmers to cultivate bamboo. Along with this, emphasis will also have to be laid on the demand and supply chain of bamboo.
“Bamboo takes three years to yield, which is a long period, so researchers should find bamboo varieties that yield in two years. It would be beneficial if Napier grass is planted with bamboo,” he said.
He said that bamboo products will be included in the procurement policy of the state government.
The Chief Minister said, “In the districts where there are energy projects, emphasis will be given on bamboo cultivation. We will launch a big campaign of bamboo cultivation on government fallow lands in the state. Along with this, 5,000 trees will be planted in Gadchiroli keeping in mind the natural habitat.”
In other major decisions, the Cabinet approved the proposal for renovation and upgradation of educational institutions and hostels run by the People’s Education Society (PES) founded by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Nine educational institutions and two hostels in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Mumbai will be upgraded with an allocation of Rs 500 crore over five years.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the creation of 2,228 new posts (Group A to D) for the Mumbai Appellate Branch and Nagpur and Aurangabad Benches of the Bombay High Court along with financial provisions for their implementation.
–IANS
SJ/SKP