The Role of Government in Promotion of Bamboo Based Entrepreneurship: A study with reference to Assam

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate a existing policy related to bamboo based entrepreneurship development. Bamboo, a versatile plant, which is grown in the natural forests as well as cultivated in homesteads is known by different names such as ‘Green Gold’,‘the Miracle Grass’, etc. It is an integral part of socio-economic and cultural tradition of a number of communities in India. Next to China,India is one of the country which is richest in bamboo diversity; Assam, is reported as largest Bamboo producer which is located in North Eastern Region of India. Bamboo has multiple uses; it can be used for making utensils, handicraft items, medicines, constructing of houses, rituals related from child birth to death, etc.- in Assam, it is an essential plant of each and every households. It is the plant that has enormous potential to promote employment and livelihood to a large section of society; it is the plant which can be used to accelerate entrepreneurship development. The present study seeks to answer a pertinent research question that what type of policy measures has been taken by the government for  promotion of bamboo cultivation. The present article is both descriptive as well as analytical in nature.Primary and secondary both the sources where used for data collection. The primary data were collected from bamboo growers of Assam and secondary data were collected from different media including government records, journals,etc. The findings from the policy of 2019 i.e. the provisions of the Assam Bamboo and Cane policy clearly reveal that majority of the bamboo growers do not aware of the policies of government to promote bamboo based entrepreneurial activities and do-not get any benefits from the government; the findings also reveal that the widely cultivated bamboo in the study are Bambusa tulda, Bambusa arundinacea, Bambusa pseudopallida, Bambusa pallid, Bambusa nutans, Melocalamus baccifera.