Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has called for the development of a bamboo-based economy in the state to promote sustainable growth, create rural livelihoods and provide environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic.

Speaking at the Bamboo Economy and Sustainability Summit in Mumbai on Sunday, Varma suggested that Maharashtra could adopt successful bamboo-based models from his home state Tripura. He said districts such as Gadchiroli could emerge as important centres for developing a strong bamboo value chain, benefiting farmers and tribal communities.