Ordinance to encourage bamboo cultivation in non-forest areas promulgated

New Delhi, Nov 23 : The Central government on Thursday promulgated the Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 to exempt bamboo grown in non-forest areas from definition of "tree", doing away with the need of felling or transit permit for its economic use.

The Union Cabinet had on Wednesday approved the promulgation of the ordinance to amend Section 2 (7) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. 

Before the amendment, the felling and transit of bamboo grown on forest as well non-forest land attracted the provisions of the forest act, a measure seen as a major impediment for bamboo cultivation by farmers on non-forest land. Bamboo, though taxonomically a grass, was legally defined as a tree under the act.

Sources said a major objective of the amendment is to promote cultivation of bamboo in non-forest areas to achieve twin objectives of increasing the income of farmers and also increasing the green cover of the country. 

Apart from removing the legal and regulatory hardships being faced by farmers and private individuals, the move will create a viable option for cultivation in 12.6 million hectares of cultivable waste land. However, bamboo grown in the forest areas will continue to be governed by the provisions of forest act. 

Sources said the amendment and the resultant change in classification of bamboo grown in non-forest areas will usher in far-reaching reforms in the bamboo sector, and the measure is expected to go a long way in enhancing the agricultural income of tribals, especially in northeast and central India. 

The move, in line with the government's objectives of doubling the income of farmers, is expected to enhance supply of raw material to the traditional craftsmen of rural India, bamboo based/ paper, pulp industries, cottage industries and furniture units and create job opportunities.

It would also promote use of bamboo as wood substitute and in composites like panels, flooring, furniture and bamboo blind. The ecological benefits include soil-moisture conservation enhancement of bio-mass. 

Bamboo grows abundantly in areas outside forests with an estimated growing stick of 10.2 million tonnes. About 20 million people are involved in bamboo related activities and estimates say one tonne of bamboo provides 350 man days of employment. 

The current demand of bamboo in India is estimated at 28 million tonnes. Though India has 19 per cent share of world's area under bamboo cultivation, it's market share in the sector is only six per cent. 

In 2015, India imported about 18.01 million cubic meters of timber and allied products worth Rs 43,000 crores. The amendment is expected to help in addressing some of these issues.

As per the assessment of United Nation's Industrial Development Organisation, bamboo business in the northeast region alone have a potential of about Rs 5,000 crore in the next ten years.