Munda Inaugurates Workshop on Van Dhan & Entrepreneurship Development

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda on February 11, 2020, inaugurated the “Workshop on Van Dhan and Entrepreneurship Development” organised by TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs here. 

Renuka Singh, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, and senior Officials of various Ministries and Departments were also present on the occasion.  Scheduled Tribe (ST) Members of Parliament graced the occasion, where they were informed about the Van Dhan Scheme and the suggestions & advice were sought from them for implementing and expanding the scheme in their respective constituencies.

Addressing workshop, Munda said that Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is an initiative targeting livelihoods generation for tribals by harnessing the wealth of the forest i.e., Van Dhan. The programme aims to tap the traditional knowledge and skills of tribals and add branding, packaging and marketing skills to optimise their income through a market led enterprise model by setting up of Van Dhan Kendras (VDVKs).

The objective of PMVDY is to create tribal enterprise comprising tribal gatherers/ entrepreneurs, who would collectively undertake all related activities starting from collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) through sustainable harvesting, value-addition, packaging, branding and marketing of value-added products.

Munda informed the Members that PMVDY envisages creation of tribal enterprises for employment and entrepreneurship development of 45 lakh tribals involving 1 lakh SHGs/5,000 VDVKs covering 27 States and 307 districts during next 3 years, according to a PIB release.