Agartala, Feb 18, 2025, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Agartala, Feb 18: Maharashtra’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change Pankaja Gopinath Munde arrived in Tripura on Tuesday on a two-day visit aimed at exploring bamboo-based industries and opportunities.

As part of her itinerary, Munde first visited the Bamboo and Cane Development Institute (BCDI) at Lichubagan, where she inspected the Bamboo Pathshala and Nursery.

She later inaugurated a training-cum-production programme focused on bamboo-based jewelry-making, which saw participation from women artisans across the state. During the event, she interacted with the artisans and learned about their experiences.

Accompanying her on the visit were Maharashtra Chief Secretary Vinita Singhal, Tripura Bamboo Mission Director Mohammad Sajad P, and BCDI In-charge Abhinav Kant, among other officials.

While interacting with the media, the Maharashtra minister emphasized the potential of bamboo-based materials as an eco-friendly alternative in infrastructure development. She highlighted the employment opportunities that bamboo industries could generate and expressed her keen interest in understanding bamboo cultivation techniques, benefits, and applications during her visit.

The Minister also revealed plans to launch a Bamboo Mission in Maharashtra and mentioned the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Maharashtra and Tripura governments to facilitate collaboration in this sector.

Later, a conference on ‘Bamboo Value Chain Development, Including Propagation and Plantation’ was held at BCDI, with representatives from TRPC, Tripura Bamboo Mission, SCATFORM, IGDC, Handicrafts, Handloom, and the Sericulture departments in attendance.

In the evening, the Maharashtra minister also visited the Bamboo Factory at Bodhjungnagar to further explore bamboo-based industrial initiatives.