Workshop on schemes held

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, September 12, 2018 : A state level advocacy and publicity workshop on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) and Van Dhan Scheme was today organised by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED), under the ministry of tribal affairs at main conference hall, forest head office, Sanjenthong, Imphal.

The workshop was held in order to achieve the objectives of the schemes with systematic implementation in the state in accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed between the state government, represented by forest department, and TRIFED Ltd., last year.

Principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) and HOFF, Kereilhouvi Angami said the main purpose of the scheme is to give minimum support price for minor forest products of tribal forest dwellers in the state and to provide socio-economic sustainability of villagers in the hills.

“Tribal villagers are usually bargained, forced or harassed by middlemen on the price of minor forest produces below the minimum support price. This scheme can solve to overcome the constraints,” he said.

Proper documentation and identification is needed for all minor forest products including medicinal plants for viable marketing and commercial needs. “TRIFED has taken initiative to move forward in all aspects,” he added.

Introducing and presenting MSP for MFP and Van Dhan schemes, executive director of TRIFED, Sangeeta Mahendra, said the scheme would touch the lives of a large number of tribal in different states by providing funding for training, value addition, marketing linkage and credit linkage for minor forest produces.

The scheme would identify Haats Bazaar from where procurement to be made by implementing agency, identify SHGs, storage arrangement, etc. Van Dhan scheme is an initiative for livelihood development of tribal non-timber forest products gatherers and artisans trough training, value addition and marketing linkages.

She said TRIFED would provide funding for training and establishment of dedicated centres to be called Van Dhan Vikas Kendra for value addition to NTFPs. This would create income enhancement, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities locally with local resources, she stated.

TRIFED is in the process of developing a countrywide market intelligence gathering platform for tracking market rates for the MFPs covered under the scheme of MSP for MFP. As part of formulating this system, terminal, secondary and primary markets from all the states are being identified for different MFPs.

Names of minor forest produces and minimum support prices have been announced, and Manipur has submitted its infrastructure and procurement plans. List of Haat Bazaars is yet to be identified and revolving funds have amounted to Rs. 10.50 lakh.