After receiving wide appreciation for bringing cost-effective bamboo bottles in the markets, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb launched bamboo cookies on Friday, a new and indigenous teatime friend. The cookies made of bamboo shoots, as the CM described, would be filled in the bamboo bottles and then wrapped up by “Hrishas” for marketing.
“The bamboo cookies have rich nutritional value and the capacity to empower rural folks. Since the government is more focussed to give Tripura Youth self reliant platforms, these initiatives will encourage more people to chose innovative ways of doing trade”, the Chief Minister said while addressing a programme at the Civil secretariat.
Deb, who is also holding the Health, Industries and Commerce Departments, later in a tweet said : “On the occasion of World Bamboo Day, launched bamboo cookies and bamboo made honey bottles.
Bamboo cookies and honey bottles will now add another feather to our cap. It will generate livelihood opportunities for many and fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.”
After launching the bamboo cookies and bamboo made honey bottles developed by the Bamboo and Cane Development Institute (BCDI), he told the media that both the new products would boost the people’s immunity and livelihood as well.
BCDI’s Tripura head Avinav Kant said that the cookies are made from the shoots of “Muli Bamboo”, available in abundance in Tripura and other northeastern states.
The “Muli Bamboo”, with the scientific name “Melocanna Baccifera”, is rich with various vitamins and other healthy ingredients.
He said as the Muli Bamboo’s nutritional value is very high, the cookies would be very healthy foodstuff in this Covid-19 induced situation.
“The bamboo cookies and bamboo made honey bottles market value and demand would be very high in the Indian and international markets. This would also be very beneficial for the livelihood of a huge number of people,” Avinav Kant told the media.
He said that as the Prime Minister has been highlighting “vocal for local”, the newly developed bamboo products are very suitable for the mission and vision.
The official said that “Muli Bamboo” shoots are harvested from forest areas and it is very natural and organic while the shoots are very tasty and local people specially the tribals prefer them and traditionally consume them in numerous ways.
The BCDI was set up in 1974 in Agartala by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) with an objective to develop proper techniques for treatment and preservation of cane and bamboo handicraft items by using suitable chemical and lacquer to protect them from insects, fungus and to disseminate this techniques to the various pockets of these craft by giving practical demonstration.