Centre to promote bamboo cultivation: Gadkari

The Government has planned to encourage bamboo cultivation in the country through various measures, including plantation of its saplings along the national highways and using it in the construction of toilets, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said here today.
"In India, bamboo is being cultivated in 130 lakh hectares area, while in China it is three times less, which is 42 lakh hectares. Despite that, bamboo production in China is 45 tonnes per hectare, while in India it is just two-three tonnes," Gadkari said while inaugurating the three-day Global Bamboo Conference here.
"We need to use bio-technology to enhance bamboo production. Bamboo cultivation will enhance employment and will check migration from rural to urban areas in the country," he said.

Gadkari also said that ethanol to be produced from bamboo will also help in reducing heavy burden on the import of crude oil in the country.
"At present, we are mixing five per cent ethanol in petrol. Our government wishes to raise it to 22.5 per cent. For that, we have to raise bamboo cultivation by at least 10 per cent and it will help in enhancing ethanol production in the country," he said.
The minister informed that the present length of the national highway is 96,000 kms and the government is working on a scheme to enhance it to two lakh kilometres.

He said, "We will plant bamboo saplings and other breeds of plants on the national highways. We will create 'highway villages' at 1,250 places along the highways to develop road-side facilities like hotels, restaurants, petrol pumps and helipads.

"Nearly 10,000 sq ft space will be reserved for selling bamboo and other handicraft products at these designated places," he said.
Gadkari also informed that the government will construct bamboo toilets in houses being constructed under subsidised rates.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that the demand for wood is increasing in the country with the rise in population and therefore, bamboo is a viable option.

However, without naming any state, Singh said there
are eight states in the country, which are not utilising the funds allocated under the Bamboo Mission and insisted that they should utilise the financial assistance given for the purpose.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the state government intends to raise the income of people by encouraging bamboo cultivation and for the purpose the government will accord agriculture status to it.
The function was also addressed by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar.
Delegates from China, Vietnam, Bhutan, Germany, Sir Lanka, England, Thailand, Nepal, Afghanistan and Philippines are also taking part in the three-day long conference.