Agartala, Aug 12 (KNN) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb urged the growers and traders to take full opportunity of the facilities extended by Japan- funded JAICA project and fully backed by Government of India.

Presently the State is having eight thousand crore economy and the Prime Minister told him to make it a 16 thousand crore economy, he said during the meeting of NITI Ayog.

The minister said bamboo can play a very important role in achieving this target. He was addressing a workshop on production of bamboo and its commercial use.

 He said bamboo is being cultivated in over two lakh hectors of land in the State and there is enough scope to develop industry based on bamboo.

He claimed that bamboo gives 35 per cent extra oxygen.

He said that the Central Government has recognized bamboo as grass and relieved it from complications of forest law.

“Through bamboo cultivation and its use in industry, Tripura’s economy can change and people can make a decent earning,” the CM added.

“Our culture has taught us to worship trees. I appeal every one that they should plant at least two saplings a year,” the Minister said.

State has taken a programme under this project to plant trees along the rivers of the State.

He told the people involved in the implementation of JAICA project to work in such a way so that the Japan government is also satisfied. Forest Minister Meber Kumar Jamatia and many other dignitaries were present.