Centre releases fund to NE states under NBM

Agartala, May 17: The Ministry of Agriculture has released Rs 6570.98 lakh to the Northeastern states to promote growth of bamboo sector.

Official sources here today said the Centre had launched National Bamboo Mission (NBM) for addressing the issues relating to the development of bamboo in the country at an estimated cost of Rs 5.68 billion.

The move was undertaken by the Centre to promote a regionally differentiated strategy for the sector along with improved varieties and to establish convergence and synergy among stake-holders.

About 1,76,000 hectare of land was proposed to be brought under bamboo cultivation in both forest and non-forest areas during 10th and 11th five-year plan.

''It is proposed to generate employment of 9.7 lakh mandays and 50.5 million mandays through nursery and plantation activity under the mission, and the fund earmarked for 2006-07, as approved by the National Level Steering Committee, has been released to the states,'' sources added.

In order to ensure technical support, four zonal Bamboo Technical Support Groups (BTSG) had been identified where Cane&Bamboo Technical Centre (CBTC), Guwahati, had been designated as BTSG for all the NE states along with West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa.

About 88,000 hectare of both forest and non-forest areas would come under bamboo cultivation.

Altogether 354 centralised nursery and 195 bamboo bazaars besides, ten retail outlets in as many Metropolitan cities of the country were to be set up under the mission.

UNI