Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on July 13, 2021, reviewed the progress of various schemes being implemented for the empowerment of tribals by TRIFED. Ministers of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh, and BishweswarTudu, were also present at the review meeting held at the TRIFED office headquarters.
On the occasion, various activities and initiatives under “Sankalp Se Siddhi – Mission Van Dhan” of TRIFED were reviewed by the Ministers. It was noted that TRIFED has been implementing several noteworthy programmes for the empowerment of the tribals. Over the past two years, the ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP’ has impacted the tribal ecosystem in a major way. Under the MSP for MFP scheme, cumulative procurement of Rs 1,841.74 crore has been made by States i.e. Rs.321.02 crore using GOI funds and Rs 1,520.72 crore using State funds in last two years including Rs .821.48 crore during the current financial year, according to a PIB release.
This has helped in ensuring fair and remunerative prices to tribal gatherers for their produces and also raising market procurement at prices above MSP announced by the Government. Started in 2013-14 with 10 Minor Forest Produce (MFP) items covering 9 States impacting approximately 1 Lakh tribal families, the scheme is now expanded to 22 States covering 87 MFP items impacting 25 lakh families. Total procurement has gone up from Rs 30 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1,870 crore in 2020-21. A phenomenal increase in value of procurement by private trade has also been reported.
Munda said, “It is noteworthy that TRIFED has been consistently bringing out new initiatives that take care of all aspects of tribal empowerment. Through this innovative connect programme, now information dissemination can happen both ways and lead to further development of initiatives and help our tribal brethren. ”
Van Dhan Vikas Yojna was introduced as “Tribal Start Ups” for value addition, branding, packing and marketing of Forest and other tribal produces through tribal gatherers. As per TRIFED, under Van Dhan Yojana, establishment of 37,872 VDVKs have been sanctioned against the Sankalp Patra target of 50,000 VDVKs in Tribal area, which are subsumed into 2,274 VDVK Clusters directly benefitting 6.76 Lakh beneficiaries. Around 1,200 VDVK Clusters are operational. The target of setting up of 50,000 VDVKs incorporating 10 lakh tribal entrepreneurs has to be completed by July 30, 2021.