The Centre has approved the formation of 40 FPOs (farmer producer organizations) in the bamboo sector to encourage small and marginal farmers in Assam, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha to establish bamboo cultivation.
In a reply to the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has approved the formation of 40 FPOs for the bamboo sector in order to encourage small and marginal farmers to engage in bamboo plantation and connect them to the market value chain.
Assam has received 18 of the 40 FPOs, Maharashtra has received 13, Madhya Pradesh has received six, and Odisha has received three.
The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has been named the implementing agency for 29 FPOs in these four states. NAFED has been tasked with carrying out 13 FPOs in Assam, seven in Maharashtra, six in Madhya Pradesh, and three in Odisha.
NERAMAC has been designated as the implementing agency for five FPOs in Assam, and NABARD has been designated as the implementing agency for six FPOs in Maharashtra.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has included certain bamboo products in the Delhi Schedule of Rates to encourage the use of bamboo in modern constructions (SoRs).