(MENAFN- KNN India)
New Delhi, Jan 1 (KNN)
In a landmark initiative, over 1.25 lakh hectares of rubber plantations have been developed across Northeast India and West Bengal under the ambitious INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) project, according to the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA).
Spearheaded by four leading tyre companies-Apollo Tyres, CEAT, JK Tyre, and MRF-the project represents a concerted effort to bolster India's natural rubber sector.
Launched with a budget of Rs 1,100 crore, INROAD aims to establish two lakh hectares of rubber plantations over five years in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and West Bengal.
In its first four years, the project has already achieved 90 per cent of its target, covering 1,25,272 hectares across 94 districts, ATMA reported.
“This marks one of the largest-scale natural rubber plantation initiatives ever undertaken in India,” an ATMA official said. Over 5.3 crore planting materials have been distributed during this period, focusing on resource-deprived populations.
Small-scale farmers with landholdings under one acre have been actively involved, enhancing the socio-economic status of nearly 2.5 lakh beneficiaries.
Before INROAD, the Northeast accounted for 23 per cent of India's natural rubber plantation area. Upon completion, the region's share is expected to rise to 38 per cent, while its contribution to the nation's rubber production could double from 16 per cent to 32 per cent.
The Rubber Board of India has played a crucial role in implementing the project. ATMA Director General Rajiv Budhraja highlighted the challenges overcome and the progress achieved in strengthening local nurseries and empowering growers.
“Beyond expanding planting areas, we're focusing on infrastructure development like model smokehouses and promoting modern practices among growers,” he noted.
This initiative marks a global first, with the tyre industry directly supporting rubber plantation development. Once fully realised, INROAD will not only enhance rubber self-sufficiency but also transform the livelihoods of farmers in the Northeast, cementing the region as a critical hub in India's natural rubber ecosystem.
(KNN Bureau)
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