Maharashtra to see Rs 4,000 crore bamboo project; will boost ethanol production and industry growth
Maharashtra is launching a ₹4,000 crore bamboo-based industries project with ADB support to boost cultivation, processing, and energy production, ensuring farmer buybacks. Led by Pasha Patel and Praveen Pardeshi, MoUs with FPOs will be signed on September 18-19. Meanwhile, Assam’s Numaligarh plant has achieved 99.7% purified ethanol from bamboo.
Maharashtra is set to embark on a transformative initiative to develop bamboo-based industries, with projects valued at an impressive Rs 4,000 crore. This project, aimed at boosting bamboo cultivation and its industrial use, will unfold over the next seven years with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The initiative is being led by Pasha Patel, a veteran politician who serves as the Chairman of the State Agriculture Price Commission and Executive Chairman of the Chief Minister’s Task Force on Environment and Sustainability. Patel is championing the growth of bamboo trees across the state.
Praveen Pardeshi, CEO of the Maharashtra Institute of Transformation (MITRA) and Chief Economic Advisor to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, shared details of the project. He stated that Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) will be signed during a conference in Mumbai on September 18-19, coinciding with International Bamboo Day on September 18.
“A Rs 4,000 crore project for bamboo-based industries will be implemented over the next seven years with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). MoUs with farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) will be signed during a conference in Mumbai on September 18-19,” said Pardeshi, reported Deccan Herald.
Under the biomass policy, there is increasing demand for bamboo, particularly for energy production. Pardeshi emphasised the need for bamboo to be processed into torrefied and pellet forms, rather than being supplied raw. This, he believes, will add significant value to the crop.
The ADB-funded project, similar in structure to the SMART project, will also focus on creating a sustainable bamboo industry in the state. Pardeshi highlighted that this initiative would solve the long-standing issue of post-cultivation bamboo sales, assuring farmers of a reliable market.
“Bamboo can be a game-changer. It has the potential to produce energy, ethanol, methanol, and a variety of other products, creating a new economy in the state,” he said.
To achieve bamboo cultivation targets, Pardeshi urged FPOs to engage with farmers owning more than 100 acres. He assured that both the government and industries are committed to ensuring a guaranteed buyback for the bamboo produced.
Dr. Hemant Vasekar, CEO of the SMART project, stated that the necessary support for bamboo cultivation and processing will be provided through FPO networks, ensuring smooth implementation of the initiative.
In addition to the Maharashtra initiative, Assam is also exploring the potential of bamboo for sustainable energy production.
Recently, Engineers India Limited (EIL) has announced the successful Mechanical Completion of the prestigious Bio Refinery Project of Assam Bio Ethanol Private Limited (ABEPL) in Numaligarh, Assam. It is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 14 during his visit to Assam.
The project, aimed at producing 49,000 TPA of bioethanol, 11,000 TPA of acetic ccid, and 19,000 TPA of Furfural from raw bamboo feedstocks, is being executed by EIL in EPCM mode directly from the demo stage based on the technology supplied by Chempolis OY.
Numaligarh based bamboo-based bioethanol plant has reached a major technological milestone by successfully producing 99.7% purified ethanol, marking a significant breakthrough in second-generation (2G) ethanol production. The facility, which converts bamboo biomass into ethanol, is the first of its kind in India.
Touted as a transformative project for Northeast India, the plant is expected to benefit over 50,000 people involved in the bamboo supply chain. Officials highlight that the facility is self-sufficient in power, generating 25 MW of captive power, and is built as a zero-waste operation.
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Source : Chinimandi
