Union minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said that bamboo sector will propel the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan in the Northeast and is going to be an important vehicle of trade for the entire subcontinent.
Singh, after a review meeting through video conference in which senior officers from DoNER and North Eastern Council (NEC) Shillong participated, said that bamboo is not only vital to India’s post-COVID-19 economy but it will also herald a new momentum for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call of ‘Vocal for Local’.
He said that the sensitivity with which the Modi government views the importance of the promotion of bamboo is evident from the fact that even during the lockdown period, limited activities in different sectors, allowed the functioning of bamboo-related activities like planting and process were allowed.
Jitendra Singh took great satisfaction in the fact that DoNER ministry achieved 100 per cent work output even during the COVID-19 crisis, as it was probably the first ministry to implement cent per cent e-office functioning much before the pandemic hit India.
The minister was also apprised of the role played by North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) in promoting startups in the region in a very innovative manner by promoting local talent.
It has also encouraged local entrepreneurship by providing venture funds to the prospective entrepreneurs, especially in the MSME sectors and facilitated investment; domestic as well as foreign by friendly countries, in the region.
