KOHIMA, MARCH 24 (DIPR): Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio said that the Nagaland Bamboo Policy has been adopted with a view to promote bamboo as ‘Resource’ and ‘Enterprise ’. In his budget speech Rio said that the Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre for development of entrepreneurs is being looked upon to become a centre of excellence and we have also forged ahead in the introduction of new technologies in bamboo such as high end construction, bamboo charcoal, bamboo shoot processing, processing of composite materials as also promoting handicrafts with special reference to production of mats for commercial supply to APIL.
Rio said that the Government aims at promoting bamboo as a mat substitute and at the same time adding value for the economic uplift of the rural people which is paying good dividends. Side by side, bamboo based gasifiers are being introduced as energy alternatives in remote areas with surplus bamboo.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has cleared the revival of the Paper Mill at Tuli. With this, in the next five years, Rio said that with the targeted production and utilization of over 5 lakhs tones of bamboo annually plus the value added, the bamboo based economy is likely to cross Rs. 500 crores. Towards this end extensive cultivation and resource development programmes have been initiated in 2500 hectares and also creating 34 clusters covering 185 villages both for resource and enterprise development. Rio said that the State plans to cover at least 50,000 hectares of 500 square km of the State with bamboo plantation.
