DW BUREAU / Dharamshala Himachal Pradesh has prepared an action plan to plant ninety thousand bamboo saplings in 90 hectare under the Prime Minister National Bamboo Mission in 2020-21, according to a senior official. Various government agencies and non-governmental organisations have been giving priority to manufacture bags and other packing materials other than polythene.To provide alternatives to plastics, the central government has formulated the National Bamboo Scheme. It can be an important means of reducing or eliminating the use of plastic. "...the department has prepared an action plan for the year 2020-21, under which there is a provision to plant 90 thousand saplings in a 90-hectare area under the Prime Minister National Bamboo Mission Scheme. There is a provision of 50 per cent financial help or a maximum amount of Rs 25,000 for planting one thousand saplings in 25 kanals on individual land," PD Saini, Deputy Director, Agriculture said. A provision has been made to provide training and financial assistance to unemployed youth for setting up bamboo related industries under the scheme, Saini noted. An action plan of Rs 1.12 crore has been sent to the central government from Kangra district for this financial year. It will help in providing livelihood to the weaker sections in rural areas, he added. "Rainy season is appropriate for bamboo transplanting. Fifteen thousand bamboo saplings are being distributed to the farmers of four development blocks in Kangra district. Forty bamboo plants can be planted on one kanal land. The demand for bamboo in Himachal remains high throughout the year," Saini said. (editor@dailyworld.in)