Van Dhan Vikas Kendras Initiative
The Government of India has approved 1,770 Van Dhan Kendras in 22 states and one union territory of the country.
About Van Dhan Vikas Kendras Initiative:
- On April 14, 2018, Van Dhan Pilot Project was started in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.
- To involve the Adivasis in the mainstream, participation of local communities is very important. Therefore, the tribal should be seen as partners of development for the purpose of getting the benefit of the resources present in their nature and environment without displacing them from the forest-land.
- With this objective, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs started a plan to create Van DhanVikas Kendra in tribal districts of the country by merging Jan Dhan, Van Dhan and Govardhan schemes for these communities.
- The scheme was implemented through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as an important department at the central level and TRIFED as an important agency at the national level.
- The initiative aims to promote livelihood-based development of tribal community foresters and artisans.
- It is worth noting that non-timber forest produce is the primary source of income and livelihood of about 5 crore tribal people of the country.
- Most of the tribal districts in the country are in forest areas and, tribal communities are well versed in traditional process of collecting and value addition non-timber forest produce.
- The list of major minor forest products to be covered under this initiative includes tamarind, mahua flowers, mahua seeds, hill broom, chironji, honey, sal seeds, sal leaves, bamboo, mango (amchur), amla (powder / Candy), Tejapat, cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, dry ginger, cinnamon, etc.
- The objective of this initiative is to promote the development of livelihoods based on minor forest produce (MFPs) of gatherers and artisans.
- Under this initiative, efforts are made to bring the tribal community into the mainstream by promoting value addition at the grassroots primary level of minor forest produce.
- Through this initiative, the share of tribals in the value chain of Non-Timber Forest Produce is expected to rise from the present 20% to around 60%.
Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India(TRIFED):
- TRIFED was established in 1987 as a National Nodal Agency under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It is working towards the socio-economic development of tribal of all states. It is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984
- It mainly performs two functions, first, minor forest produce development, secondly retail marketing and development.
- The basic objective of TRIFED is to arrange for the sale of the products collected or made by the tribal people from the forest at the right prices in the market.
Source : PIB
