Guwahati, 26 April (HS): Assam Pradesh BJP has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again reiterated his role as the brand ambassador of Northeast India, highlighting the region’s rich culture, traditions and heritage, the BJP said in a statement on Sunday. Through his widely followed radio programme Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister underscored the vast potential of the bamboo industry in the Northeast and its promising economic future.

According to a statement issued from the Assam BJP headquarters, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan, more than 30 lakh party workers across over 30,000 booths in 433 mandals spanning 39 organisational districts of Assam tuned in to the 133rd edition of the programme.

The statement noted that the Prime Minister emphasized how people in the Northeast are achieving self-reliance through bamboo cultivation. He cited inspiring examples such as Bijoy Sutrodhar from Gomati district of Tripura and Pradeep Chakraborty from South Tripura, who have successfully carved a niche in global markets with bamboo-based handicrafts and decorative items.

He also highlighted how youths in Nagaland are producing a variety of food items from bamboo shoots, while farmers in Mizoram are using bamboo to build greenhouses for cultivation. Additionally, he mentioned members of the “Lagast Bamboo Enterprise” in Gangtok, Sikkim, who are creating world-class handcrafted bamboo products.

The Prime Minister encouraged citizens across India and the global community to purchase bamboo products and consider them meaningful gifts for friends and family.

Assam BJP president and MP Dilip Saikia listened to the programme at the party’s state headquarters amid his election campaign in West Bengal. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for highlighting the potential of the bamboo economy in the Northeast, stating that the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, with its bamboo-based structures, stands as a testament to the region’s thriving bamboo industry.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash