Commissioner Secretary Forests, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, today convened a meeting to review progress in the implementation of National Bamboo Mission (NBM) in the State.Principal Chief Conservator Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden J&K, Suresh Chug, Director Social Forestry, S K Gupta, Special Secretary (Technical), K. Ramesh Kumar, Additional Secretary Forest Department Ram Savak, and other concerned attended the meeting.The meeting was informed that bamboo grown on private lands needed exemption under Land Transport Rules to boost and encourage the farmers to cultivate bamboo as cash crop, which could play a pivotal role in poverty alleviation and spread of bamboo to other parts of the State, too.Accordingly, State Administrative Council recently approved for the enactment of the legislation for excluding the word Bamboo from the definition of timber.During the meeting, it was decided that steps would be taken to focus on increasing area under bamboo plantation in non-forest Government and private lands to supplement farm income and contribute towards resilience to climate change.
The meeting also decided to improve post-harvest management through the establishment of innovative primary processing units, treatment and seasoning plants, primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies and market infrastructure.Efforts will be made to promote product development at micro, small and medium levels and feed bigger industry. Besides promote skill development, capacity building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector, the meeting was informed.Further, it was decided that Director, Social Forestry J&K shall be the Nodal Officer for implementing the strategy and targets under the National Bamboo Mission.Pertinently, Government of India recently approved scheme of National Bamboo Mission (NBM) under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) for 2018-19 and 2019-20.The scheme will benefit directly and indirectly the farmers as well as the local artisans and associated personnel engaged in bamboo sector including associated industries.