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Tripura Bamboo Artisans Overjoyed as PM Modi Praises Their Work in Mann Ki Baat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised bamboo artisans Bijay Sutradhar and Pradip Chakraborty from Tripura in the 133rd Mann Ki Baat episode. The artisans expressed happiness and gratitude for the recognition, which brought pride to their communities. Modi highlighted the 2017 law change that removed bamboo from the tree category, boosting the sector in the Northeast. The Tripura Bamboo Mission has supported these artisans, providing jobs and enabling production of various bamboo products.

Key Points: PM Modi Praises Tripura Bamboo Artisans in Mann Ki Baat

  • PM Modi praised bamboo artisans from Tripura in 133rd Mann Ki Baat
  • Bijay Sutradhar and Pradip Chakraborty express gratitude
  • Law change in 2017 removed bamboo from tree category
  • Tripura Bamboo Mission supports artisans with jobs and products
3 min read

"Very happy that the Prime Minister mentioned me," says Tripura bamboo artisan after being praised in 133rd Mann Ki Baat episode

Bijay Sutradhar and Pradip Chakraborty express gratitude after PM Modi highlighted their bamboo work in the 133rd Mann Ki Baat episode, boosting the sector.

"I'm very happy that the Prime Minister mentioned me. - Bijay Sutradhar"

Agartala, April 27

Bamboo artisan from Tripura's Gomati district, Bijay Sutradhar, has expressed happiness and gratitude after being praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 133rd edition of the monthly radio program 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Visuals from the workshop of bamboo artisan Bijay Sutradhar showcased his work and reaction following the mention in the Prime Minister's monthly radio programme aired on Sunday.

Speaking to ANI, Sutradhar said, "I'm very happy that the Prime Minister mentioned me. I've been working with bamboo for about 25 years... The way he praised me made the people in my village, and me, very happy... I want to thank Tripura Bamboo Mission. They helped me set up a factory."

Meanwhile on Sunday, addressing the nation during his 133rd edition of Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister spoke about the success of the Northeast in the Bamboo sector.

He elaborated that what was once viewed as a burden is now giving new impetus to employment, business, and innovation. According to British law, Bamboo was defined as a tree, and the rules associated with it were very strict.

"It was very difficult to transport Bamboo anywhere, and people started moving away from Bamboo-related businesses as a result. Our Government changed the law in 2017 and removed Bamboo from the tree category, and today, the Bamboo sector is flourishing throughout the Northeast," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also mentioned Bijoy Sutradhar of Gomati district of Tripura and Pradeep Chakraborty of South Tripura, who saw a huge opportunity for themselves due to the law change, and integrated their work with technology.

After being mentioned in the Mann Ki Baat episode, another bamboo artisan Pradip Chakraborty also expressed his immense gratitude, noting that it has brought pride to his entire community.

"I want to thank the Prime Minister for mentioning our work. After the programme, I received many calls from relatives and friends, which made me feel proud and happy to be part of this journey," Chakraborty told ANI.

Highlighting his journey and inspiration in the work, he emphasised the support from 'Tripura Bamboo Mission'. "The Tripura Bamboo Mission has supported us greatly. Today, 15-20 women work here daily, earning up to Rs 7,000 each month. We produce around 150-200 bamboo products, including bags, jewellery boxes and photo frames. The recognition in Mann Ki Baat has encouraged me to expand this work even further," he said.

Earlier, the Tripura government launched the Tripura Bamboo Mission in PPP mode for the integrated development of the bamboo sector in Tripura, with its implementation beginning from August 2007.

The Mission is focused on the development of 4 sub-sectors, namely, Bamboo Plantations, Bamboo Handicrafts, Bamboo Incense Sticks and Bamboo Industrial Applications. The role played by TBM has resulted in increased turnover as well as livelihood generation.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Mann Ki Baat never fails to highlight unsung heroes from remote corners of India. The bamboo sector in the Northeast has so much potential—glad to see it getting the recognition it deserves. And the fact that women are earning up to ₹7,000 a month is a testament to how this is empowering local communities. More power to these artisans! 🙌
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Sarah B
It's inspiring to see how policy changes can have such a tangible impact. The 2017 law change seems to have unlocked a whole new economic opportunity. However, I hope the government continues to invest in infrastructure and market access for these artisans, so their products can reach more customers outside the region as well.
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Vikram M
Ekdum sahi! (Absolutely right!) The northeast has always been rich in bamboo resources, but the earlier laws were strangling the industry. I'm glad Modi ji changed that. And seeing artisans like Bijay and Pradip getting national recognition—this is the kind of 'aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant) story we need more of. Ab toh bamboo se pet bhi bharega aur pollution bhi kam hoga! 🌿
A
Amanda J
It's great that these artisans are being recognized, but I hope this isn't just a one-time PR moment. The real challenge is ensuring that the benefits trickle down sustainably. The fact that 15-20 women are earning ₹7,000 a month is a good start, but with proper training and digital marketing, they could scale much higher. Let's keep the momentum going!
K
Kavya N

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