Bamboo industries coming up in a big way: Director

Guwahati, Jul 12 (UNI) Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) Director Kamesh Salam today said with the tax exemption announced by Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the bamboo-based industries will see an upward trend as well as help attract more investors to the state.

Talking to UNI here, Mr Salam said, ''Bamboo-based industries getting recognised as an industry had itself been a great step forward for the sector.'' Mr Gogoi, also holding the Finance portfolio, had announced exemption of entry tax and VAT on all medium and small-scale bamboo-based industries in the annual budget placed before the state Assembly recently.

Mr Salam said two bamboo-based industries in Amingaon in the suburbs of Guwahati had not only generated income for the state in terms of revenue, but also created job opportunities for the local people.

He said, ''These two plants employ about 25-50 people each directly. Besides, indirect employment for many is also generated.'' He also mentioned that another bamboo-based industry in Bornihat, which produces matting sheets and particle sheets, has created direct employment to 100 people and indirect to about 5,000 people.

Mr Salam said bamboo was earlier identified only with paper industry and handicrafts.

''Development of bamboo-based industries was not included for a long time in the North East Industrial Policy,'' he pointed out.

Lack of proper marketing in the past had proved to a hurdle in the promotion of bamboo, but with the setting up of the National Bamboo Mission, under the Union Agriculture ministry, this block would be effectively dealt with, the director added.

He said the North East would benefit immensely under the Mission.

The North East Council (NEC) was the implementing body in the region, he informed.

Mr Salam further informed that CBTC had proposed to the government that closed plywood mills could be revived with the use of bamboo as the raw material.

He said, ''Bamboo can prove to be a feasible alternative for reviving the closed plywood mills. A consolatory meeting in this regard was held with the government and a positive outcome is expected,'' and added that CBTC would soon be coming up with special programmes to promote bamboo further in the region.

UNI SG KK DB1624