The initiative will boost the income of tribals and bamboo-based economy in Rajasthan
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched a project named ’Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought’ (BOLD), a first-of-its-kind exercise in India. The initiative was launched recently from the tribal village Nichla Mandwa in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
5000 saplings of special bamboo species – BambusaTulda and BambusaPolymorpha specially brought from Assam – have been planted over 25 bighas (16 acres approx) of vacant arid Gram Panchayat land. KVIC has thus created a world record of planting the highest number of bamboo saplings on a single day at one location.
Project BOLD, which seeks to create bamboo-based green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones, is aligned with PM’s call for reducing land degradation and preventing desertification in the country. The initiative has been launched as part of KVIC’s ’Khadi Bamboo Festival’ to celebrate 75 years of independence ’Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.’ KVIC is set to replicate the Project at Village Dholera in Ahmedabad district in Gujarat and Leh-Ladakh region by August this year. A total of 15,000 bamboo saplings will be planted before August 21.
KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said the green patches of bamboo on these three places will help in reducing the land degradation percentage of the country, while on the other hand, they will be havens of sustainable development and food security.
Member of Parliament Arjun Lal Meena said the bamboo plantation program in Udaipur will boost self-employment in the region. He said such projects will benefit a large number of women and unemployed youths in the region by connecting them to skill development programmes. KVIC has judiciously chosen bamboo for developing green patches. Bamboos grow very fast and in about three years, they could be harvested. Bamboos are also known for conserving water and reducing evaporation of water from the land surface, which is an important feature in arid and drought-prone regions.
