Maharashtra Govt To Come Out With Bamboo Policy Before Assembly Polls: State Industries Minister Uday Samant

Mumbai: Stating that Maharashtra government is sympathetic towards bamboo plantation and that it will take all efforts to see to it that the bamboo industry flourishes in the state, Industries Minister Uday Samant said the state government is committed to come out with a 'Bamboo Policy' as soon as the code of conduct is lifted. Samant was speaking at an event organised by the Phoenix Foundation in association with CREDAI MCHI to observe World Environment Day on Wednesday.

“As per the instructions from the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, we have initiated steps to increase bamboo plantation across the state and are thinking of coming up with a policy before the state goes for assembly polls later this year. The policy will help give industry status to the bamboo industry by creating employment opportunities. It will also help bring bamboo industry into the Chief Minister's Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS),” Samant said and added that once the bamboo industry is included in the EGS, the beneficiaries will be eligible to get a loan of Rs 50 Lakh with subsidy of 50% in rural and 25% in urban areas.

“The Chief Minister himself has set an example by starting a small scale unit in his village in Satara district wherein proper training is given as regards bamboo plantation, the products to be developed using bamboo as also selling the products by holding exhibitions and fairs. Our endeavour is to bring the same products in urban areas where it will attract good value and help farmers financially,” Samant said.

On the occasion, the minister also urged the real estate industry to promote usage of bamboo furniture in their projects and promised to use similar furniture in the construction of 12 guest houses in MIDC areas and 20 Udyog Bhavans that are going on in the state currently.


Bamboo gives back to the ecosystem in several ways. It improves soil quality by preventing erosion, provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, and also contributes to air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. According to reports, one bamboo tree releases 320 kg of oxygen and eats 35% of carbon.

* The Union Government of India, in the year 2017, amended the Indian Forests Act, 1927 to remove Bamboo from the category of “Trees” and designated it as a Minor Forest Produce.

* Anyone willing can take up Bamboo cultivation and start a Bamboo plantation without the need of requiring any licenses.

* Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of bamboo in India, followed by Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, and Odisha as per the 2017 Forest Survey of India report.

* Bamboo grows well in a warm, humid environment and is sensitive to cold temperatures. Anything less than 15 Degrees Celsius during summers is not favourable and can kill the plant. The wet and tropical conditions in India are best suited for Bamboo farming.

* Bamboo is mainly grown through vegetative propagation and can also be grown through the seeds, but this is quite rare as the Bamboo seeds are very scarce due to the once-in-a-lifetime flowering nature of plants.

* Bamboo has a gestation period of five years and can grow in normal drylands, it loves water. While drip irrigation is the most efficient method of watering bamboo plants, in comparatively smaller-sized plantations, flood irrigation is used for its advantage of low infrastructural setup cost. In wet regions, the bamboo plants solely depend upon rainwater and wet forest soil for sustenance.