Centre to start bamboo-based technology courses in NE

Aizawl, Oct 3 (UNI) With the aim to tap the vast available bamboo resources of the region, the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the northeastern states will introduce bamboo-based technology courses.

The courses would be introduced under the National Vocational Training System (NVTS), a joint project of the Union Labour Ministry and the German technical cooperation, official sources here today informed.

The Labour Ministry, represented by the North Eastern Council (NEC), had signed an MoU with the German firm last month to take up joint ventures in the region's bamboo sectors.

NEC officials also stated that the region's bamboo sector had been in need of international technical expertise to harness the full potential.

They said it would benefit all the sister states and would also work with select institues throughout the country to implement widespread dissemination of skills among workers in the informal sector.

In the NE the Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) had been chosen as its implementatin partner.

The CBTC was esablished in 2000 as a joint venture of UNDP, UNIDO and department of science and technology and carrying out NEC's mandate of NE bamboo mission since 2004.

The NE possessed the country's two-third bamboo resources and the NEC launched the bamboo mission for development of this sector, the officials pointed out.

UNI BB-SNR-SJC-AKP0959