Modi Touts Northeast Bamboo Revival, Urges Citizens To Buy Bamboo Products
The appeal seeks to turn rising interest into steady demand that rewards artisans across the region.
Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who used his Mann Ki Baat radio address on Sunday, urged people to purchase at least one bamboo product from the Northeast.
- He credited a 2017 law that reclassified bamboo as grass, which eased transport rules and unlocked trade and use.
- He said the sector now drives jobs, new businesses and innovation across the Northeast, calling the region a wellspring of talent.
- He highlighted women and self-help groups as major winners and cited examples from Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and Sikkim that use technology and add value in food items, furniture and crafts.
- Before the change in law, bamboo was treated as a tree under colonial rules, which made moving it hard and pushed many away from bamboo-related work.