Explore possibility of setting up bamboo processing factory: CM

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired 215th Board of Directors meeting of Himachal Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation (HPSFDC) here on Monday and directed to incorporate modern technology in its functioning.

He instructed to equip all the timber go-downs of the HPSFDC with CCTV facilities to ensure better monitoring. He also directed to explore the possibility of setting up bamboo processing factory in Gagret area of Una district to provide remunerative prices to the farmers of Una, Kangra, Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts. He asked to integrate National Transit Passes in the Corporation to facilitate the people.

The Chief Minister said that the HPSFDC had recorded a sale of Rs. 289.91 crore from timber, rosin and turpentine oil in the financial year 2024-25, earning net profit of Rs. 14.93 crore. The sale of HPSFDC was Rs. 267 crore in the financial year 2023-24 and it earned Rs. 7.88 crore net profit during the year. In addition to this, it also received royalty amounting to Rs. 41.30 crore from the silviculture felling.