The three-year Cane and Bamboo pilot
project, a joint initiative of Development Commissioner, handicrafts
(DCH) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is about
to conclude. To assess the progress made by the various agencies
involved in this project, a presentation-cum-seminar-cum-display
is organised by DCH, which was inaugurated by the Secretary of
Textiles Ministry Shri S.B. Mohapatra here today. Ms Brenda Mcweeney,
Country Representative of UNDP (India) was the guest of honour
at the two-day programme on innovative cane and bamboo products,
tools and machinery etc..
In his inaugural address Shri Mohapatra
said that bamboo is considered globally as substitute for depleting
timber resource and India has a huge standing resource of it.
bamboo has huge marketing potential within country and abroad
which needs to be harnessed, he said. He said that if the vast
skilled manpower available particularly in the north-east region
is used properly and adequate investment are made in this industry
systematically, the size of this sector could be around Rs. 3000
crore.
While welcoming the participants,
the Development Commissioner, (handicrafts) Smt. Tinoo Joshi hoped
that this pilot project would bring bamboo out of the low value
product image and put it in high value segment. She told that
the project started in December 1999 and will be completing in
December 2002 and had an outlay of Rs. 9.15 crore.
The objectives of the joint venture
were to identify craft specific bamboo and cane species, develop
plantation and management techniques for large-scale plantation
and provide modern technology and design inputs to the artisans.
It also aimed at mobilizing the artisans into professionally managed
self-help groups/cooperative societies to pursue their craft activities
on commercial basis.
Shri D N Tiwari, member Planning
Commission was also present at the occasion along with senior
officers from the ministry and representatives of implementing
agencies.
