Projecting India as a nation with vast resources of bamboo, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that India has the potential to become a significant player in international bamboo export. At a meeting held with the representatives of International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) in New Delhi today, Dr. Harsh Vardhan emphasized the thrust provided by the Government to develop the bamboo sector to address various issues such as livelihood, climate change mitigation and land degradation. The Minister specifically referred to the landmark initiative of the Government of promulgating the Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 to exempt bamboo grown in non-forest areas from definition of tree, thereby dispensing with the requirement of felling/transit permit for its economic use. The INBAR delegation recognized and appreciated the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in this regard.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan also pointed out that capacity-building and training programmes will be organized for artisans for making special items from bamboo.“A lot of value addition products can be worked out for the upliftment of artisans and farmers”, the Minister told the INBAR representatives.Interacting with the INBAR delegation, the Minister pointed out that natural resources such as bamboo belong to the entire world. “We believe in the concept of whole world as one family”, Dr. Vardhan stated. He emphasized that India has leading research and training institutes and the country can become the research and training hub for bamboo and rattan in South Asia. The Minister said that for value addition, joint initiatives will need to be taken by MoEF&CC and INBAR.India’s participation at the upcoming Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress (BARC 2018) in Beijing from June 25-27, 2018 was also discussed at the meeting. DG INBAR requested that India must lead and also send a large delegation to attend the Congress.The Minister appreciated the efforts of INBAR and assured its representatives that India will be well-represented at the Congress.Director General, INBAR, Mr. Hans Fredrick and officers of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change attended the meeting.