CM calls for patenting of State's bamboo innovation

FROM OUR REPORTER

SHILLONG, April 15: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has expressed satisfaction on seeing the innovative bamboo and cane products on display by the craftspersons at the Shken.in Bamboo & Cane Products Exhibition and 33rd District level Industrial Exhibition which began here at the State Central Library premises on Friday.

The department of Commerce & Industries in partnership with the Department of Design, IIT, Guwahati has come up with the project - Shken.in which aims at creating innovative cane and bamboo products with upgraded designs and technology. Shken is a local Khasi word for bamboo.

The Chief Minister said that the next immediate step for the department and IIT, Guwahati must be to patent this innovation.

Iugurating the exhibition, Sangma said that this exhibition was an outcome of a wonderful partnership model. Stating the magnitude of people’s involvement with bamboo which is a part and parcel of tribal way of life, Sangma emphasized how with partnership one can integrate the knowledge of science, innovation, and creativity and give shape to wonderful products that can generate so much of interest.  

He congratulated the department of Commerce & Industries and the team of IIT, Guwahati led by Prof. Ravi Mokashi Punekar.

He also underscored the importance of building partnerships that can open up further opportunities of entrepreneurship to the people and at the same time can be instrumental in creating something exclusive.

He also recommended that the skill component of ADB-funded human capital development programme be integrated with this programme.  He suggested that this can also be extended to the youths who are giving up armed struggle and trying to come back to the mainstream.