Centre asks states to ease transit/felling norms for bamboo

States should amend their laws based on the central guidelines on liberalising transit norms and felling rules for bamboo and other tree species grown in non-forest areas, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
As per the guidelines issued by the Environment Ministry in November 2014, transit permit and felling rules are exempted for some tree and bamboo species grown by farmers in non-forest areas. Accordingly, states were asked to amend their laws.
Speaking about challenges faced in the bamboo sector, Singh said that to promote bamboo cultivation, "states have to be impressed upon to implement transit pass guidelines issued by Ministry of Environment and Forest."

The government is encouraging bamboo cultivation since 2006 under the National Bamboo Mission(NBM), he said in a statement.
However, for increasing productivity and optimum utilisation of existing resources, the Minister said that emphasis should given for scientific management of bamboo stands and proper working plan.
Over 3.29 lakh hectare of land is covered under bamboo plantation in the country, of which 2.16 lakh hectare is under forest area and the rest in non-forest area.
In different states, 48,885 farmers and 7,830 field functionaries have been trained in the area of nursery management and bamboo plantation, the minister added.