Jammu- To harness the potential of the bamboo sector in Jammu and Kashmir, the North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) on Tuesday signed a pact with the UT administration for entrepreneurship and bamboo infrastructure development in J&K.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) marks the beginning of a new chapter and will create new wave for overall development and harnessing of unexplored, untapped potential of the bamboo sector in J&K, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said.
With MoU, the post-COVID-19 economy has taken off from J&K as unutilised huge bamboo reserves of the Union Territory would be an important part of the economy in the future, said Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Sinha and Singh.
Sinha congratulated the people of J&K and all those associated with the bamboo sector.
He said the signing of MoU will give impetus to bamboo production, its processing and associated business, and to develop bamboo industry into a strong industry of Jammu and Kashmir.
For planned cultivation of commercial species of bamboo, the lieutenant governor said the J&K administration will explore the possibility of setting up of a State Bamboo Mission (SBM) in Jammu and Kashmir that will benefit a large number of farmers in the UT.
Sinha said that with the signing of MoU for bamboo development in the UT, the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ‘Har Medh Par Ped’ has been made a reality in Jammu and Kashmir.
Laying special emphasis on tapping the potential of the bamboo sector in J&K, Sinha said the pact has been carefully drafted for the overall development and harnessing of unexplored, untapped potential of the sector in the UT.
Through this partnership with the North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council, we will take up the implementation and development of bamboo technology, bamboo-based research and related developmental activities in the Union Territory, Sinha said.
He added that the administration will also replicate good practices in J&K by knowledge sharing and technical partnership.
The MoU will create financial and market linkages for the bamboo produce and facilitate promoting start-ups in the sector, besides developing the training facilities for farmers, entrepreneurs, craftsmen, and villagers associated with the bamboo sector.
It will also facilitate market awareness to J&K entrepreneurs and facilitating the joint exhibitions and export promotions, said the lieutenant governor.
To increase the coverage of bamboo species in Jammu and Kashmir, NECBDC would provide technical guidance, said Sinha said.
The government is creating a robust business ecosystem in the bamboo sector in J&K. With these efforts, soon, bamboo products will be in the list of niche products of J&K and encourage employment for thousands, said the lieutenant governor.
“This marks the beginning of a new chapter. The MoU will create a new wave for all-round development of unexplored, untapped bamboo sector. Now, local artisans, entrepreneurs can touch new heights of progress and make domestic products available to the global market,” he said.
At national level, more than 25,000 bamboo-based industries are providing employment opportunities to about 2 crore people, while about 21-22 lakh people are engaged in bamboo-based art.
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