Summary:
As many as 1,038 village panchayats across 27 districts of UP have been earmarked for promotion of bamboo plantation on the banks of river Ganga under Namami Gange flagship scheme, National Baans (bamboo) Mission Yojana.
According to officials, the bamboo plantation is aimed at augmenting income of marginal farmers.
Each district has been allocated Rs 91 lakh and a target of bamboo plantation has been set by the forest department.
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As many as 1,038 village panchayats across 27 districts of UP have been earmarked for promotion of bamboo plantation on the banks of river Ganga under Namami Gange flagship scheme, National Baans (bamboo) Mission Yojana.
According to officials, the bamboo plantation is aimed at augmenting income of marginal farmers.
Each district has been allocated Rs 91 lakh and a target of bamboo plantation has been set by the forest department.
The forest department in each district will provide bamboo saplings for sowing to village panchayats.
Giving details, Bijnor divisional forest officer M Semmaran said, “The government is pushing for organic farming in the Ganga basin to make it pollution-free.
Farmers are being trained on how to practice bamboo farming.”
The bamboo is a versatile group of plants which is capable of providing ecological, economic and livelihood security to the people.
India is the second largest country after China in growing bamboo.
The plantation along Ganga will help prevent erosion during monsoon.
It can also be grown in barren land and low-lying areas.
Known as green gold, this hardy variety of the grass family can withstand temperature variations and is resistant to disease, requiring no pesticides or herbicides for its upkeep.
When cut, it grows back again, making the plant reusable.
It has numerous uses –its shoots are edible and it is also used for medicinal purposes.