Tripura Bamboo Mission’s interactive meet highlights plans for bamboo sector in State

The Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM) held an interactive meeting with bamboo product manufacturers to review the challenges faced by bamboo-based enterprises in Tripura on Thursday (April 20).

 

The meeting, which took place at the BCDI Conference Hall in Agartala, was attended by 75 entrepreneurs and bankers. The participants shared their experiences to facilitate others in this sector as well as to encourage new entrepreneurs.

 

Inaugurated by Minister of Industries and Commerce, Santana Chakma, the meeting was also attended by Tinku Roy, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Nabadal Banik, Chairman of Tripura Industrial Development Corporation (TIDC) Ltd., and Vishwasree B., Director of Industries and Commerce cum Mission Director of TBM.

 

Participants discussed the issues that the entrepreneurs are facing. In particular, they highlighted the issue related to selling mechanized agarbatti sticks to Bangalore-based companies.

 

They noted that Chinese enterprises involved in agarbatti stick-making activities are incentivized once the Indian government enhanced the import duty on agarbatti sticks from 15% to 25%.

 

To solve the problems faced by the entrepreneurs, Tinku Roy emphasized the need to form a platform/organization to bring these issues to the notice of both the Union and state governments.

 

Santana Chakma highlighted the state government’s bamboo-based activities planned with the financial support of the Union government. She encouraged entrepreneurs to explore possibilities to ensure zero wastage of raw materials, which could increase profitability. This approach is common in other prominent countries/competitors of Indian bamboo-based industries.

 

In addition to district-level officials of the Industries Department, the interactive meet was also attended by dignitaries and officials from BCDI-NECTAR, NECBDC, Guwahati, and a representative of the Deputy Commissioner (Handicrafts). The meeting resulted in the formation of an organization called ALL TRIPURA BAMBOO PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS’ ORGANIZATION (ATBPMO), consisting of entrepreneurs who attended the meeting.

 

The organization aims to address issues faced by bamboo-based enterprises jointly and bring them to the attention of the relevant authorities.