In yet another move to exploit Nagaland’s bamboo reserve, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday met Taiwan’s Ambassador to India, Chung Kwang Tien and sought the latter’s ‘technical help’ to enhance the potential of bamboo industry in the state.
According to a DIPR report, Rio met the Taiwanese Ambassador at Nagaland House, New Delhi. “The key focus of the meeting was to seek cooperation from Taiwan for technical collaboration in the bamboo sector for value addition and its promotion. Discussions included building a workable association whereby Taiwan will also help the bamboo industry in Nagaland and the NE region, where it was proposed to establish an ‘India-Taiwan Bamboo Technical Centre’ in Dimapur, Nagaland.
“This pilot plant will be implemented by NBDA (Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency) in association with Taiwan-based bamboo companies and experts in the areas of R&D, technology transfer, skill development, investments in bamboo sector, marketing, etc. The chief minister called upon experts from Taiwan to intervene and assist in augmenting the bamboo industry in Nagaland potentially to compete in the international market. The Taiwanese Ambassador also expressed his willingness to tie up with Nagaland and further promote this industry,” read the report.
Officials from the Embassy of Taiwan including Frank TF Tsay, Assistant Ambassador; and Prof. Dr. Henry H. Chen, Counsellor and Director of Science and Technology Division, Embassy of Taiwan; along with officials from Nagaland including Jyoti Kailash, Principal Resident Commissioner; Imtirenla Jamir, Mission Director, NBDA; Kethosituo Sekhose, Deputy Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House, New Delhi; Kamesh Salam, President of South Asia Bamboo Foundation & Consultant, NBDA; and Dr. Tolto Metha, member of NBDA, attended the meeting.
According to the report, it was decided that a team from Taiwan would visit Nagaland and work out the modalities to establish the proposed centre at the earliest.
Further, both the parties agreed to work out details to formalise a memorandum of understanding at the earliest to promote this cooperation, it stated. “Other aspects of this cooperation will be to foster socio-economic and cultural relation between the people of Taiwan and Nagaland.” – Eastern Mirror