Shyamhari Chakra
In a bid to ensure better livelihood for the tribal people of the country, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has implemented the sceme namely “Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products”.
Under this scheme that is being implemented by TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation), 73 tribal products have been identified for an aggressive marketing.
Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh Saruta shared this information in the Lok Sabha today.
The products that have been included in the list broadly come under the categories of metal craft, tribal textiles, tribal jewellery, tribal painting, cane and bamboo products, terracotta, stone pottery, gift and novelties besides organic and natural food products.
The Minister maintained that TRIFED has been involved in retail marketing activities which involve procurement of various tribal products from its empanelled tribal suppliers that include individual tribal artisans, SHGs, Organizations or Agencies working with tribal artisans located in different States and marketing the same through retail network of Tribes India showrooms and exhibitions across the country.
In consultation with state governments, Minor Forest Produce (MFP) items are identified across the country for inclusion in the scheme of “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through minimum support price and development of value chain for MFP, she elaborated.
The scheme had been implemented in states having areas under Schedule V of the Constitution and initially covered ten MFP items, the Minister informed.
The list has, however, been modified periodically after discussion with various stakeholders and TRIFED, she explained and added that of the 73 items that have been have been notified in the current list, 15 items that are generally classified as “agricultural produce”.
The agriculture produces have been included in the list due to exceptional and very difficult circumstances prevailing in the country due to the prevailing pandemic. The 15 products are being collected by tribal gatherers, she clarified.
The schemes of “Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products or Produce” and “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price and Development of Value Chain for MFP” are demand driven and depend upon proposals from the state governments, explained the Minister.
