The National Steering Committee (NSC) of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM), held under the chairmanship of the Secretary (Agriculture & Cooperation), Govt of India, on January 17, 2008, had approved an amount of Rs 36 lakh for establishment of an R&D centre on bamboo cultivation for non-forest areas at Biswanath College of Agriculture (BNCA) under the Assam Agriculture University, according to Kamesh Salam, Director, Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre, Guwahati and member of NSC. The project proposal was initiated by Dr Tapan Dutta, retired professor, Assam Agriculture University and Agriculture adviser to the Chief Minister of Assam. Since there are two components under NBM, separately for forest and on non-forest areas, the AAU centre will serve for non-forest areas, whereas Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI) Jorhat, which is expected to receive Rs 49 lakh will strengthen their R&D activities primarily in forest areas, he was appreciate the enthusiastic support of the scientist of AAU. The BNCA Centre will work on development, standardisation and dissemination of technologies for improvement of productivity and production of bamboo and bamboo-based cropping system, whereas RFRI will devote on sustainable development of quality bamboo resource for employment generation and socio-economic development of North Eastern India. This centre will serve the cause of centrally sponsored Megha project of the National Bamboo Mission with an outlay of Rs 568.23 crore being implemented in the 11th plan period. On enquiry, Dr Tapan Dutta, Agriculture Adviser to Chief Minister, Assam stated that commercial cultivation of bamboo in farmers field with a sanctioned amount if Rs 5.19 lakh from National Mission on Bamboo Application, being implemented through the Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat district as a collaborative programme between RFRI and the District Agricultural Officer. "This experience will naturally help in implementation of R&D programmes of both the institutes will naturally help in implementation of R&D programmes in non-forest areas'. He also praised the Ministry of Agriculture, GPI. for undertaken such an economic-upliftment, environmentally-friendly farmers' oriented programme. He said that State Agriculture Department should gear up to take the advantage, otherwise the project may be end up as a one exclusively for the Forest Department, because bamboo development activities are confined to the department of Forest only prior to 11th plan period. However, Prof Dutta appreciated the programming NABARD to offer financial assistance to the tune of Rs 30 crores for bamboo plantation programme in Dhemaji district, but he suggested to linkup with soil conservation approach to greater effectives in those areas.