In News: Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram is an initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal population by harnessing the wealth of forest i.e. Van Dhan.
Aims
- The programme aims to tap into the traditional knowledge and skill sets of tribal people by adding technology and Information Technology for upgradation of output at each stage and to convert the tribal wisdom into a remunerative economic activity.
- Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram seeks to promote and leverage the collective strength of tribal people to achieve a viable scale to take on the predatory market forces in the areas where these are still prevalent.
Key features
- Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram is primarily a component under the Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain of Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). The training component of the Scheme is proposed to be taken up in programme (Karyakram) mode to provide enhanced livelihood and income generation for tribals.
- Van Dhan Vikas Kendra:
- A typical Van Dhan Vikas Kendra shall constitute of 10 tribal Van Dhan Vikas Self Help Groups (SHG), each comprising of upto 30 MFP gatherers or tribal handicraft artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Kendra (subject to variability as per local conditions).
- Each Kendra would act as common facility centres for procurement cum value addition to locally available MFPs and skill based handicraft.
- The Van Dhan Vikas SHGs would belong to contiguous area, preferably in same or near-by villages
- At least 60% beneficiaries of the SHG shall be tribal and the SHG shall be led by a tribal member
- Preference to be given to convergence with functional SHGs promoted under Aajeevika Mission with majority tribal members .
- The endeavor would be to identify a cluster of 2-3 Aajeevika SHGs/ primary level societies/ collectives (as the case may be) operating preferably in the same or near-by villages as a Van Dhan SHG for the training and equipment supply.
- Each Van Dhan SHG would be given a unique name although the Aajeevika SHGs within the Van Dhan SHG will continue to be identified by their respective Aajeevika SHG IDs.
- The Aajeevika SHGs will also continue to use their Aajeevika bank accounts for working capital requirements for the purpose of Van Dhan operations. The Van Dhan SHG may also open a new bank account for this purpose in case the need is felt by the SHG members. The technology component under Vikas Karyakram will focus on optimization of human capital that will be the touchstone of the technology choice exercised.
Trifood Project
- It is an initiative of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
- It will be implemented jointly by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
- The project aims to enhance the income of tribals through better utilization of and value addition to the MFPs collected by the tribal forest gatherers.
- The project has been launched on a pilot basis in Raigad (Maharashtra) and Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh).
- The unit in Raigad will be used for value addition to mahua, amla, custard apple and jamun to produce mahua drink, amla juice, candy, jamun juice and custard apple pulp.
- The multi-commodity processing centre in Jagdalpur will be used for the processing of commodities like mahua, amla, honey, cashew, tamarind, ginger, garlic and other fruits and vegetables
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)
- TRIFED is a national-level apex organisation functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- It was established in August 1987 under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984.
- It was established as a National level Cooperative body under the administrative control of the then Ministry of Welfare of India.
- The objective of TRIFED is socio-economic development of tribal people in the country by way of marketing development of the tribal products on which the lives of tribals depend heavily.
Source: PIB
