Financial aid to be increased for bamboo plantation in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to encourage people for bamboo plantation in private land, Odisha government decided to increase financial assistance under a centrally sponsored scheme.

As per move, an assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare will be provided to the bamboo cultivators from this financial year under the restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM).

Earlier, the financial assistance for bamboo plantation was Rs 10,500 per hectare.

Chairing a meeting yesterday, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi approved the annual action plan of Rs 12.56 crore for bamboo plantation and development of bamboo industries.

The State has increased the area under bamboo plantation from 10,000 hectare to 12,000 hectare following implementation of the scheme under the NBM in 2007-08.

Notably, the scheme was launched in the country in 2006-07 to increase bamboo cultivation and industries to help both the farmers and artisans.

In April this year, the Union Cabinet approved the restructured National Bamboo Mission under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) during remaining period of Fourteenth Finance Commission 2018-19 and 2019-20 to ensure holistic development of the bamboo sector by addressing complete value chain and establishing effective linkage of producers (farmers) with industry.

The Centre also made few changes in the scheme including cost norms for various interventions from time-to-time as per the felt needs and specific recommendations of States, with the approval of Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.