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KVIC launched Project BOLD to boost tribals’ income & Bamboo based economy in Rajasthan.
About Project “Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought” (BOLD)
- Project BOLD seeks to create bamboo-based green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones.
- It is a unique scientific exercise serving the combined national objectives of reducing desertification and providing livelihood and multi-disciplinary rural industry support has been initiated by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
- BOLD is the first of its kind exercise in India which was launched from the tribal village NichlaMandwa in Udaipur, Rajasthan
- Under this project, 5000 saplings of special bamboo species – BambusaTulda and BambusaPolymorpha specially brought from Assam – have been planted over 25 bigha (16 acres approx) of vacant arid Gram Panchayat land.
- With this, KVIC has thus created a world record of planting the highest number of bamboo saplings on a single day at one location.
- 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.
- Total 15,000 bamboo saplings will be planted before August 21.
Why has Bamboo been selected for this project?
- KVIC has judiciously chosen bamboo for developing green patches.
- Bamboos grow very fast and in about three years’ time, 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.
Significance of the project
The green patches of bamboo on these 3 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.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
- KVIC is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.
- It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India.
- Its head office is in Mumbai, whereas its six zonal offices are in Delhi, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati.
- The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
The broad objectives that the KVIC has set before it are:
- The social objective of providing employment.
- The economic objective of producing saleable articles.
- The wider objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building up of a strong rural community spirit.
Extra reading: https://journalsofindia.com/national-bamboo-mission-2/
Source: PIB
