Shri Jual Oram, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs launched the ambitious scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Van Dhan, the scheme for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce Scheme (MFP) and Development of Value Chain of MFPs at a National Workshop organized by TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs here today. Representatives from 30 States participated in the workshop where detailed interaction took place about various aspects of these schemes. Collector, Jagdalpur made a presentation about roll out of the scheme in Bastar.

Shri Jual Oram launched the following schemes on the occasion: -

1. MSP for MFPs
2. Release of guidelines (a) Scheme of MSP for MFPs (b) Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram
3. TRIFOOD project of TRIFED and Ministry of Food Processing Industries
4. TRIFEDs CSR initiatives –“Friends of TRIBES”/ Exchange of MOUs
5. Release of Special edition of TRIBES HAAT
6. DBT Scholarship portal of Ministry of Tribal Affairs
7. Van Dhan TVC

149254026825. on the occasion, the Shri Jual Oram said that almost 5.5 crores tribals residing in the dense forest areas of the Country will benefit from the Schemes of Minimum Support Price and Value Addition. The Scheme will offer remunerative Minimum Support Price for 50 commercially viable items to the Tribals. MFPs now covered the entire range of forest produces. He expressed his happiness that the MSP had been raised by 30% to 40%. This would go a long way in adding to the income of the Tribals. He was also happy to note that the procurement mechanisms at the Haat Bazars where tibals bring their commodities had now also been worked. 307 District Collectors have been given responsibility through the State Agencies to provide Minimum Support Price to the tribal gatherers. It is proposed to set up almost 6000 Van Dan Vikas Kendras comprising 300 tribal gatherers each in the Country providing employment to almost 45 Lakh tribals.

Launching the “Van Dhan Scheme”, Shri Oram said that this programme promotes enterprise and marketing skills in tribals. This will be a game changer in the very near future, if implemented diligently. The tribals presently get only 20 – 30% of the value chain of the Minor Forest Produces. This situation will change after Van Dhan scheme which aims to take this share to 70 to 80%. The Prime Minister of India launched the Van Dhan Scheme in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on 14^th April, 2018.

Launching the TRIFOOD Scheme, a joint initiative of Ministry of Food Processing Industry, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED, Shri Oram stated that under this scheme a tertiary value addition center will be set up in Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh and Raigad in Maharashtra at a cost of approximately Rs.11.00 crores. A highlight of this is the production of “Heritage Mahua” drink. The traditional Mahua tribal drink will be mainstreamed and marketed all over the Country under this project. He praised the efforts of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED to take all these programmes to the present level and hoped that TRIFED will leave no stone unturned to reach the tribals residing in forest areas.

Shri Oram also launched the “Friends of Tribes” initiative of the Ministry. TRIFED has tied up CSR funds to promote tribal livelihoods. He was happy to note that socially oriented Public Sector Organisations like BPCL, IOCL and SPMCL have sanctioned approximately Rs. 10.00 crors for promoting Van Dhan operations in Barwani, Rajnandgaon, Dewas and Hoshangabad Districts of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. He congratulated the Chairman and CMDs of these organisations and invited other PSUs to come forward with open arms to serve tribals of the Country.

Shri Nand Kumar Sai, Chairman, NCST congratulated the officers of the Ministry and TRIFED for the work done to invigorate the MSP operations, which was pending for a long time. He also stated that the tribal students would be benefitted from the DBT scholarship scheme initiated by the Ministry.

Shri Sudarshan Bhagat, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs said that value addition will create new dimensions to the activities of tribals who will be encouraged to take up the entrepreneurial activities in areas for which they have very developed skills.

The Chairman, TRIFED, Shri R.C. Meena said that TRIFED will leave no stone unturned to take the programme to logical conclusion of all tribal districts of the Country.

Shri Deepak Khandekar, Secretary, welcomed the Guests and assured that all the dignitaries of the Ministries full guidance and support in taking the programmes further. Shri Pravir Krishna, MD, TRIFED thanked the delegates and participants and hoped that these programmes will benefit forest dwellers across the Country to provide higher levels of income and betters opportunities for their growth.

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NB/SK/jk/Tribal Affairs /28-02-2019