Maharashtra to come out with bamboo industry policy: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Asserting that bamboo offers farmers stability with greater climate resilience, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a comprehensive bamboo industry policy would be introduced soon in Maharashtra. 

“The state government will soon launch a dedicated bamboo industry policy with special focus on creating a robust and sustainable market ecosystem to encourage more farmers to adopt bamboo cultivation,” the CM said at the a two-day conference, 'Bamboo for People, Planet and Prosperity: Green Gold, Green Energy, Green Earth’ at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre at Nariman Point in Mumbai. 

The World Bamboo Day is celebrated on 18 September and in Mumbai the event was hosted by Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) and Phoenix Foundation spearheaded by veteran politician Pasha Patel, who is Chairman, State Agriculture Price Commission and Executive Chairman, Chief Minister’s Task Force on Environment and Sustainability, is spearheading the campaign to grow bamboo trees.

For his efforts, Patel has earned recognition as the Bamboo Man of India.

“Bamboo offers farmers stability but with greater climate resilience. Unlike cotton or soyabean, which are vulnerable to erratic weather, bamboo requires minimal attention once planted and can provide farmers long-term security,” Fadnavis said and lauded  the efforts of Patel, who he said is playing a commendable role in transforming bamboo into a people’s movement. Farmers will benefit only when market systems, demand–supply linkages, and value-chain structures are strengthened, said Fadnavis. 

“Researchers should focus on developing varieties of bamboo that can be harvested in two years instead of the current three-year cycle. Intercropping bamboo with Napier grass can provide additional advantages. Announced that bamboo products will be integrated into the state procurement policy to provide assured markets to cultivators,” the Chief Minister said. 

According to him, the state has plans to develop bamboo cultivation in districts with energy projects, where bamboo can serve as an effective biomass fuel. 

“Large-scale bamboo plantations will be undertaken on government wastelands. Bamboo cultivation will be implemented on mission mode across the state, with a broad framework prepared through MAHAGENCO and the Energy Department to give farmers assured support similar to MGNREGA,” the CM said. 

“The entire planet is grappling with natural crises. Bamboo is the only viable option in the fight against climate change. In the battle against fossil fuels, we must move toward sustainable solutions. This Bamboo Conference, organized on the occasion of International Bamboo Day, will prove to be a milestone for the future,” said Patel. 

“Agriculture is currently battling natural crises. Patel’s mission to promote bamboo cultivation and industry is a matter of pride for the state,” added Minister of State for Agriculture Ashish Jaiswal. 

MITRA CEO Pravinsingh Pardeshi said the purpose of this conference is not just discussion but to translate these discussions into action. 

“The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Rs 4,300 crore for the development of bamboo-based industries. This funding will be used for bamboo cultivation, research, and establishing bamboo-based industries. Over the next four to five years, two-thirds of this funding will be utilized to implement projects in four to five districts,” he said.