Himachal Pradesh To Have Its First 'Bamboo Village' In Una District, Expected To Create More Jobs

Himachal Pradesh's Una is all set to become the state's first-ever 'bamboo village' in a bid to boost employment. Under the National Bamboo Mission, the state government will be setting it up in the district's Boul village and will cost up to ₹1.17 crore. It will receive the necessary technical assistance from 'Bamboo India', a Pune-based startup that specialises in making products out of Bamboo.

The state's rural development minister, Virendra Kanwar, told the Hindustan Times that this village will be an 'institution' as it will introduce the locals to latest producing techniques that will bring employment and eventual prosperity in their homes. It will also teach people how to conserve and use bamboo in an eco-friendly matter.

Source For Local Crafts

Not only employment, the village aims to teach the state how to adapt themselves with the changing world. "The project aims at boosting the livelihood of unemployed rural youths by providing professional training in the art of making hand fans, furnitures, dustbins, tea mugs, wall hangings, home decor and flower pots," Kanwar said. Along with this, the government will also sponsor training camps for around 500 local artisans so that they could use their creativity in making such products for the market and learn how to put a good price on them. A bamboo furniture manufacturing unit will also be set up by them at around ₹22 lakhs.

The local farmers will be given free bamboo seeds, along with them being planted all across the state. This will facilitate bamboo plantation all year round in the state under the country's Bamboo mission that will promote an extensive usage of the product.

'Beema Bamboo'

Along with supporting local arts and crafts, the state is also planning to come up with an 'oxygen bank' in Una's Boul village where a hybrid species called 'Beema Bamboo' will be planted. It is an oxygen-releasing variety that will be put up at an estimated cost of ₹40 lakh, and is said to absorb close to 80 tonnes of carbon dioxide per acre each year. Kanwar explains, "One matured beema bamboo after four years absorbs more than 400 kg of carbon dioxide annually from the surrounding areas. The special bamboo clone is developed by a conventional breeding method that does not involve genetically modified organisms."

Also Read: Odisha Government Comes Up With Offline App To Conserve Olive Ridley Turtles