Rubber Cultivation Helped Stamp Out Militancy In Northeast: Piyush Goyal

The cultivation of rubber contributed to stamping out militancy and insurgency in the north eastern region of India and provided financial security to the people there, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

The Union Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government has been supporting and planning the development of an entire spectrum of activities in the rubber sector throughout the country. This was being done through adequate financial packages and policy initiatives, he said.

"It is gratifying to see rubber cultivation contributing to stamping out militancy and insurgency and providing financial security to the people of the north-east region," the Minister said in a video message on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the Rubber Act.

Goyal also praised the role played by the Rubber Board in the growth and development of the rubber industry in the country and making India self-reliant in production of natural rubber.

"The Rubber Board's singular distinction is that it has been instrumental in making India Atma Nirbhar, self-reliant, in production of natural rubber.

"Its efforts have set the benchmark for high quality Indian rubber products and helped increase production and exports," he said and assured support of his Ministry for the initiatives taken by the Board for development of the rubber sector.

The Union Minister said he was sure the Board would notch up many more "spectacular successes" going forward.

"The journey of the Rubber Board is intrinsically linked with India's development journey during the Amrit Kal," he added.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan too acknowledged and praised the efforts of the Board in developing the rubber industry and for the welfare of the rubber cultivators and traders.

The Chief Minister, also in a video message on the occasion, said that even the Left government in the State was taking steps to promote the rubber industry and welfare of the cultivators.

As part of that, the State government has set up a PSU called Kerala Rubber Ltd at Velloor here for rubber storage and value addition.

"Such an initiative by a State government is the first of its kind in the country," he claimed.

Vijayan also said that the LDF government has set aside Rs 600 crore in its budget for the Rubber Incentive Scheme. Besides that, the State government has drawn the attention of the Centre to the problems being faced by the rubber cultivators and traders and has urged that rubber be made a part of the 'Make in India' initiative and that import duties on rubber be increased.

Goyal, in his message on the occasion, said that the Centre was sensitive to the issues faced by everyone along the entire value chain of the rubber industry and was taking steps to address the same.

Vijayan said that the State government was taking steps to strengthen the Rubber Board.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)