Van Dhan Vikas Scheme: Promote Tribal Community

What is Van Dhan Vikas Scheme? Who are the Beneficiaries of the Van Dhan Vikas Scheme? What are the Objectives of the Van Dhan Vikas Scheme? Read here to know more.

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs proposed to expand Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. 

Van Dhan Vikas Scheme is a project aimed at providing tribal people with a means of subsistence by utilizing the resources of the forest, namely Van Dhan.

Read here to know more.

What is Van Dhan Vikas Scheme (Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram)?

• It mostly falls under the umbrella of the Mechanism for Marketing Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of a Value Chain.
• By incorporating technology and IT, the program attempts to update tribals’ traditional knowledge and skill sets at each stage and turn them into sustainable economic activity.
• Under the Van Dhan Scheme, TRIFED would assist in the construction of MFP-led multi-purpose Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in the tribal areas, which will consist of a group of 10 SHGs with a total of 30 tribal MFP gatherers in each.
• Each Kendra would serve as a hub for shared facilities for purchasing and adding value to locally accessible MFPs and skill-based handicrafts. TRIFED offers technical assistance and training.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, a Nodal Department at the Central Level, and TRIFED, a Nodal Agency at the National Level, are responsible for carrying out the scheme.
• The State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are expected to be key players in the execution of the scheme at the local level.
• Locally, it is suggested that the Kendras be run by a Managing Committee (an SHG) made up of representatives of the cluster’s Van Dhan SHGs.
• It tries to bring together numerous programs and plans from other state and federal departments, agencies, and organizations.
• Additionally, collaboration models with banks, public utilities, and the private sector should be investigated for their active involvement and monetary support under CSR funds.

Who are the Beneficiaries of the Van Dhan Vikas Scheme?

Van Dhan Vikas Scheme has specifically been launched for tribals. These include people referred to as ‘vanvasi’, ‘Adivasi’, ‘anusuchit janjati’, ‘Pahari’, etc.

Each Van Dhan Vikas Kendra consists of 15 tribal Self Help Groups serving up to 300 beneficiaries. 

Van Dhan Scheme Implementation Strategy

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs will be implementing Van Dhan Scheme at four levels:
• National Level: Nodal Department will be managed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• Central Level: Nodal Agency will be managed by TRIFED India
• State Level: State level agencies will be developed for Minor Forest Produce and District Collectors
• Unit Level: Self Help Groups will be created to form a Van Dhan Vikas Samuh
• Tribals will be provided training on sustainable harvesting, primary processing, collection, and value addition.
• A connection between the main processing facility in Van Dhan Vikas Kendra and their stock will be made through clusters to aggregate their stock in a trading quantity.
• To give tribal people a sustainable way of life-based on MFP, Kendras will assist them in making the most use of their natural resources.
• The infrastructure that the state and federal governments build and the atmosphere they create will enable businesses looking to generate value in a methodical, scientific way.

About TRIFED

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987.

It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India. 

 The ultimate objective of TRIFED is the socio-economic development of tribal people in the country.

This done by the way of marketing development of the tribal products on which the lives of tribal depend heavily. 

Minor Forest Produce (MFP)

•  MFP, also known as Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), is a major source of livelihood. And provides nutrition, medicinal needs, and cash income to a large number of STs who live in and around forests. 
• The Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price & Development of the Value Chain for the MFP Scheme is intended to improve the livelihood of MFP gatherers by paying them a fair price for the MFPs they gather.
•  The nodal ministry for the execution and oversight of the program will be the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The Ministry would choose the Minimum Support Price with the assistance of TRIFED on a technical level.
• The responsibility of purchasing MFP on MSP will be with State designated agencies. 
• The scheme supports primary value addition as well as provides for supply chain infrastructure like cold storage, warehouses, etc. 
• The scheme is applicable in all states. 

 Learn more about MSP Click here

How the Tribal Livelihoods are connected to the Minor Forest Produce?

For tribal residing in natural forests, minor forest produce is an important source of income.

The fact that about 100 million people who live in forests depend on MFPs for food, shelter, healthcare, and a source of money shows how important MFPs are to this group of people.

In particular, for indigenous tribal groups like hunter-gatherers and the landless, it gives them the vital sustenance they need during hard times.

MFP provides tribal with 20-40% of their yearly revenue, and it is where they spend most of their time.

Because most MFPs are gathered, used, and sold by women, this activity has a strong link to women’s financial empowerment.

The MFP market can generate around 10 million workdays in the country each year.

Tribal Technology Enhancement initiatives:

By giving Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana-registered tribal forest product keepers commercial skills and capacity-building. 5 crore indigenous entrepreneurs are expected to be transformed. (PMVDY).

The initiative will guarantee a greater success rate for tribal entrepreneurs.

This is providing them with the tools and resources they need to manage their enterprises with sellable goods and quality certificates.

Initiative for a digitally connected village:

TRIFED’s regional administrators have been visiting specified areas with a substantial tribal population across the country.

This will assure that current programs and measures benefit the tribals.

We hope that all your doubts regarding the Van Dhan Yojana be cleared after going through this article you can download the ClearIAS app now to check out various other topics relevant to the UPSC IAS EXAM.

Article Written by: Remya