Facts:
- The Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana was launched in 2018. It is a scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Aim: It aims to help tribals in optimum utilization of natural resources and provide sustainable Minor Forest Produce (MFP)-based livelihood. It seeks to help increase tribal income through value addition of MFP centric products
- Implementation of the Scheme:
- The scheme is implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level. TRIFED acts as the Nodal Agency at the National Level.
- Under the scheme, Van Dhan Vikas Kendras are set up. These centres cater to 10 Self Help Groups of and each group consist thirty tribal gathers . They are trained and provided with working capital to add value to the products, which they collect from the jungle. The first Van Dhan Vikas Kendra was set up in Chattisgarh.
- These SHGs can then market their products within and outside the States through retail network. Training and technical support is provided by TRIFED.
Additional Information:
Minor Forest Produce:
- Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 defines minor forest produce as all non-timber forest produce of plant origin.
- These include bamboo, brushwood, stumps, canes, cocoon, honey, waxes, Lac, tendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, etc.
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)
- It was established in 1987. It functions under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal affairs.
- The basic objective of the TRIFED is to provide good price to the products made or collected from the forest by the tribal people
