<span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised skilled artisans of Assam, Tripura and Manipur for value addition to bamboo products including water bottles, tiffin boxes etc with the aim of making the country 'Atmanirbhar'.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">"These products made with bamboo are of high quality and very useful," said Mr Modi during his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' Radio programme broadcast today. He said that these indigenous products boost the income of the people and the business during the festivities and various other occasions.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">It may be mentioned that the Prime Minister Modi led government has set up a new National Bamboo Mission (NBM) to focus on development of the bamboo sector in the country. Now the North Eastern Council Cane & Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) act as a coordinating and facilitating agency for the North Eastern region.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The North Eastern region has now slowly become bamboo industry hubs as more youths and entrepreneurs are engaging in this craft with the support from the government. Various value added bamboo products including bamboo tiffin boxes manufactured at a small town- Churachandpur of Manipur State have become popular not only in India but also other parts of the world. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The products of Zogam Bamboo Works of Churachandpur have buyers from Singapore, Dubai, Oklahoma etc. and generate income for many thus making the sector sustainable. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR Correspondent reports, Mr. V. Ginkhanpau, a 27 year old youth from Zenhang Lamka of Churachandpur district Manipur has no boundaries of delight when the Prime Minister praised the artisans for value addition to the products of bamboo in his today 's edition of 'Mann ki Baat'. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr. Ginkhanpau has been making bamboo water bottles, pens, tiffin boxes and other items from the past many years. He said that he started his career as a craftsman since his schooldays and established his own Zogam bamboo Works.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">     </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As the Central government has been encouraging and focusing on promotion of the bamboo sector in the North Eastern Region, more youths and entrepreneurs in the sector have come up in Manipur from past years. Even though Zogam Bamboo Works started as a one man endeavor, it now could provide jobs to a number of young craftsmen of the district. </span><br />''  <br />