Virender Kanwar: Bamboo village to be developed in Kutlehar

Our Correspondent

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Una, October 4

Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar today announced that Boul village in the Kutlehar Assembly segment would be developed as a ‘bamboo village’ at a cost of Rs 1.17 crore.

He presided over a virtual meeting with officials of Bamboo India, a commercial organisation, and said that the Forest and Rural Development departments had already implemented a pilot project titled ‘Bambuna’ in the village. Vocational training was being provided to members of women self-help groups by master trainers under the project. He added that the self-help groups were making bamboo handicrafts and doing a brisk business in the local market.

The minister said that the availability of raw material, manufacturing infrastructure, and trained human resource would be ensured and a marketing network would be established to make the project viable and sustainable for local artisans.

He added that nurseries to cultivate different varieties of bamboo suitable for different types of products would be developed in the village and plantations would be done on private and barren land.

Kanwar said that outlets for selling bamboo products would be provided to the women groups. He added that new bamboo products, which would be hand made in Boul village, would include tooth brushes, mobile phone and pen stands, drinking straws, soap cases, and ear buds, besides the products being produced by local artisans.

He said that Bamboo India had agreed to provide 100 per cent marketing support for the products as well as the training of artisans.

Yogesh Shinde, a senior officer of Bamboo India, said bamboo was a better option than plastic, as it was eco-friendly and people were now gradually shifting to the use of natural and environment-friendly products. He added that their organisation would sign an MoU with the Una District Rural Development Agency to implement the project.