|
The Minister for Science & Technology and Ocean Development, Shri. Kapil Sibal has said that the Indian Forest Act, 1927 needs to be amended to encourage and develop the bamboo sector, especially for new, industrial and value added products and applications. Launching the National Mission on Bamboo Applications (NMBA) here today, Shri. Sibal said that under Section 2(7) of the Act, "tree" includes palms, bamboos etc. and as a consequence, bamboo attracts the provisions of the Indian Forest Act for regulation of transit of trees/timber. He said, the Ministry of Agriculture had proposed last year that bamboo be declared as a horticultural and plantation crop, without restrictions on its cultivation, extraction, transportation and bonafide commercial and household applications, if it is grown outside forest areas. The Planning Commission had also initiated discussion on the legal provisions for harvesting and transportation of bamboo, especially non-forest bamboo in 2003. This has not yet been acceded to by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, he said.
NMBA is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and Technology Innovation, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) is implementing it. It is being implemented in a mission mode with a multi-disciplinary approach. The Mission will promote value addition and commercialization, indigenous capacities and enterprise. NMBA will act as a catalyst for development, enlarging economic opportunities, employment and livelihoods. It will bridge the gap between the laboratory and users.
Giving a brief account of the potential of the bamboo sector, Shri. Sibal said that India is only second to China in terms of varieties and volume of this valuable vegetation. The global market is worth about $ 50 billion. However, in contrast to China where per hectare yield is about 30 tons, in India it is only about 0.5 tons. Through indigenously developed technology, we can increase the production , he said. The Minister disclosed that the Tamil Nadu based company, Growmore Biotech, has received an order from Indonesia for supply of 50, 000 tissue cultured plants(bambusa balcooa). The Indonesian importer, M/s PT. Bruno Phala International, Bali has also expressed interest in other species of bamboo- Bambusa
Vulgaris (green) and Dendrocalamus asper. A query has also been received for a turnkey assignment for establishing a tissue culture production facility in Bali, for large scale production of bamboo plant material, he said.
Making a presentation, NMBA Director, Shri. Vinay S. Oberoi said that the Mission will promote the induction of gasifiers using bamboo and bamboo waste to generate electricity and thermal energy, especially in off-grid and remote locations and to meet captive industry and utility needs.
Shri. Sibal released two publications- Cultivating bamboo and Propagating Bamboo on the occasion. He also launched the website of NMBA- www.bambootech.org
|
