The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Tripura state council organised a conference on “From Forest to Fortune: Streamlining the Bamboo Business Path” on Thursday at Pragna Bhavan in Agartala, to commemorate World Bamboo Day.

The programme brought together government leaders, industry representatives, experts, and institutions to deliberate on harnessing bamboo’s potential as an engine of sustainable growth in the North East.

The conference was graced by Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma as Chief Guest. In his address, the Debbarma emphasized the need to strengthen the bamboo value chain, enhance market access, and promote bamboo-based enterprises as a driver of rural livelihoods and green industry.

Special addresses were delivered by Harsha Kumar, Director, M&E, Tripura JICA Project and Ajit Sukladas, Director, Department of Handloom, Handicrafts & Sericulture of Tripura government. Mr Rabin Bose, Co-Chair, CII Tripura State Council and Vice President, Mutha Industries, delivered the welcome address.

On this occasion, CII released a report titled “Facilitating Ease of Doing Business in the Bamboo Sector in North East India: Removal of Compliance Burden”, highlighting recommendations for reforms and measures to support enterprises in the bamboo sector.

The technical sessions featured experts including Dr Indraneel Bhowmick, Tripura University; Mr Santanu Banik, G Cube Sticks; Dr Thiru Selvan, Tripura University; and Mr Anil S. Kotmire, NABARD, who discussed opportunities for investment, market linkages, and innovative models for bamboo-based enterprises.

The event concluded with a call for collaborative action between government, industry, and institutions to unlock the vast opportunities of the bamboo sector for Tripura and the North East, creating a sustainable future from “forest to fortune.”