The Hindu Business Line : Centre assures full support to Tripura on rubber

The Union Government has assured full support of the Rubber Board to Tripura and Assam for bringing the identified two lakh hectares under rubber plantation (both States combined) to make the country self-sufficient in rubber.

The Union Minister of State for commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh, has said here that the Kottayam-based body has already been instructed to be "more proactively Northeast-centric" in its programmes.

The Minister was reviewing the export potential and capabilities of Tripura in different areas such as horticulture, bamboo, rubber, tea and spices. He also announced a Central aid of Rs 60 crore for infrastructure development at Agartala Land Customs Station (LCS).

Potential

Pointing out that the Rubber Board has identified one lakh hectares as potential area under rubber in Tripura (north Tripura), of which roughly 31 per cent has already come under cultivation, Mr Ramesh, after visiting the country's largest rubber thread export unit here, set up by the Dharampal Satyapal Group, said there was a huge potential for latex/dry rubber industries in Tripura.

The State Government is already implementing a Central Government funded Rs 7-crore rubber park at Bodhjhungnagar Industrial Estate.

Land Customs Stations

He said Tripura LCS point was the only one in the country, which had a deficit trade balance with Bangladesh, where imports exceeded exports.

The main items are fish, mustard oil and stone chips, converted from the boulders exported to Bangladesh from the Meghalaya LCS in India.

He said the Agartala LCS upgradation project (integrated check-post), being executed by Rites, would be completed in 18 months.

He said the Central support for infrastructure development at Simantapur LCS in Tripura (with Bangladesh) would also be extended.

Bamboo

Emphasising the need for expanding bamboo-based economic activities in Tripura, which accounted for a lion's share of the country's bamboo forest wealth, the Minister said the Union Govrnment would take the initiative to tie up the funds for the State's Rs 48-crore Bamboo Mission Project.

Later, inaugurating the third Bamfest 2006 and BAM Expo show in Agartala, the Minister said the mission covers bamboo use in sticks, mats, furniture, handicrafts and power generation.

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