JBIC keen to invest in handicraft sector in Tripura

Agartala, Aug 17: After giving financial assistance for afforestation programme in Tripura, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has expressed interest to invest in handicraft sector in the state.

Forest department officials here today said in a bid to exploring the feasibility of bamboo-based enterprise, a three-member JBIC delegation, led by country officer Miho Horikawa, will tour the state from August 26.

JBIC officials will meet Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on August 27 to discuss the proposed project besides visiting the bamboo forests and existing handicraft units in the state, officials added.

Besides Mr Horikawa, Associate Director of Commerce, Industry and Labour of Japan Megumi Nakahara and Chief Researcher of Hita Manufacturing Technology Experimentation Centre Oita Perfection Syoji Ouchi were scheduled to interact with the bamboo artisans and oversee the marketing facilities in the state.

The Tripura government had already released Rs 250 crore, out of the total loan of Rs 370 crore, to the Project Implementation Society of the Afforestation and Eco Restoration project for economic upliftment of tribals in Tripura.

JBIC had agreed to invest Rs 370 crore for rolling out the plan under it's overseas development programme, aiming to rehabilitate the degraded forest land, which was ravaged by shifting cultivation and various human activities.

Preliminary works had been completed for selection of 400 new Joint Forest Management committees for implementing the project at ground level and the works were being done satisfactorily, JBIC Project Director and Additional PCCF Dr V K Bahuguna claimed.

Dr Bahuguna said the project would be implemented for rehabilitating the land damaged by shifting cultivation (Jhum), covering 55,000 hectares of degraded forest land along with 4,700 hectares of forestry.

UNI