Lok Sabha Question No. 5117 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-04
Subject: PM Van Dhan Yojana
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kunar Hembram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 5117

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 04/04/2022

## PM VAN DHAN YOJANA

## 5117.   SHRI KUNAR HEMBRAM:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is implementing Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana in West Bengal including Jhargram district and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has taken any initiative in order to market the products made in remote tribal villages of West Bengal and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the details of the grants in aid provided to the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) during the last three years to West Bengal?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SMT. RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

(a): Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing

Pradhan  Mantri  Janajatiya  Vikas  Mission  with inter  alia the  component  of   Mechanism  for Marketing  of  Minor  Forest  Produce  (MFP)  through  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  and Development of Value  Chain  for  MFP.   One  of  the  sub-components  of  this  is  the  Van  Dhan Vikas  Karyakaram,  which  is  implemented  through  TRIFED  (Tribal  Co-Operative  Marketing Development  Federation  of  India  Limited).   It  emphasizes  the  enterprise  route  for  generating additional income to the village level primary SHG units known as Van Dhan Self Help Groups (VDSHGs).  Each  VDSHG  comprises  of  upto  20  forest  dwellers  to  undertake  the  gathering, processing and value addition of Minor Forest Produces. 15 such VDSHGs are subsumed into each  VDVK  of  upto  300  members  to  reap  the  advantages  of  economies  of  scale  in  training, aggregation of raw material, branding, packaging and marketing operations envisaged to create an  inherent  strength  in  the  VDVK  organisation  in  the  area.  The  Scheme  also  allows  VDVKs members  to  undertake  other  activities  like  agriculture,  floriculture,  medicinal  plants  etc.  for ensuring round the year livelihood .

Since  the  launch  of  Van  DhanYojana  from  August,  2019,  TRIFED  has  sanctioned more  than 3000  Van  Dhan  Vikas  Kendra  Clusters  (more  than  50000  Van  Dhan  Self  Help  Groups) associated with more than 9.00 lakhs beneficiaries in the country.   It is envisaged that it would play a vital role in improving overall economy of tribal community of our country.

An amount of Rs.329.35 Lakh has been released to West Bengal for setting up of 22 VDVKs involving 6719 beneficiaries through West Bengal Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation Ltd., Kolkotta. It includes 4 VDVKs in Jhargram district.

(b) & (c): Ministry of Tribal Affairs, under MSP for MFP Scheme, has released an amount of Rs. 201.72 Lakhs to the State of West Bengal as Revolving funds for procurement of MFPs. The  State  Implementing  Agency -West  Bengal  Tribal  Development  Cooperative  Corporation Ltd., Kolkotta has procured MFPs of the value of Rs. 80.03 Lakhs from tribal MFP gatherers in West Bengal State, as per the following details:

| Name of MFPs   | F/Y 2018-19   | F/Y 2018-19          | F/Y 2019-20   | F/Y 2019-20          | Grand Total (Till December ,2021   | Grand Total (Till December ,2021   |
|----------------|---------------|----------------------|---------------|----------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|                | Procurement   | Procurement          | Procurement   | Procurement          | Procurement                        | Procurement                        |
|                | Qty. in MTs   | Value (Rs. In lakhs) | Qty. in MTs   | Value (Rs. In lakhs) | Qty. in MTs                        | Value (Rs. In lakhs)               |
| Sal Seed       | 248.463       | 49.69                | 68.225        | 13.65                | 316.69                             | 63.34                              |
| Sal Leaf       |               |                      | 2.045         | 0.72                 | 2.05                               | 0.72                               |
| Mahua Flower   |               |                      | 0.400         | 0.13                 | 0.40                               | 0.13                               |
| Mahua Seed     |               |                      | 0.327         | 0.09                 | 0.33                               | 0.09                               |
| Neem Seed      |               |                      | 0.197         | 0.05                 | 0.20                               | 0.05                               |
| Karanj Seed    |               |                      | 0.300         | 0.07                 | 0.30                               | 0.07                               |
| Myrobalan      |               |                      | 1.000         | 0.15                 | 1.00                               | 0.15                               |
| Baheda         |               |                      | 0.100         | 0.02                 | 0.10                               | 0.02                               |
| Giloe          |               |                      | 33.460        | 13.38                | 33.46                              | 13.38                              |
| Jamun Seed     |               |                      | 0.615         | 0.25                 | 0.62                               | 0.25                               |

| Chironjee Seed   |         |       |   0.050 |   0.06 |   0.05 |   0.06 |
|------------------|---------|-------|---------|--------|--------|--------|
| Apang plant      |         |       |   0.03  |  0.008 |   0.03 |  0.01  |
| Kalmegh          |         |       |   0.004 |  0.001 |   0    |  0.001 |
| Kusum Seed       |         |       |   0.4   |  0.09  |   0.4  |  0.09  |
| Satavari         |         |       |   1.2   |  1.28  |   1.2  |  1.28  |
| Marking Nut      |         |       |   0.005 |  0.001 |   0.01 |  0.001 |
| Madhanasini      |         |       |   0.8   |  0.38  |   0.8  |  0.38  |
| Total            | 248.463 | 49.69 | 109.158 | 30.34  | 357.62 | 80.03  |

Further, an amount of Rs. 455.44 lakh during 2018-19 has been provided to the State Government of West Bengal to undertake modernization of haat bazars and setting up of primary  aggregation/ storage facilities.

Besides, as informed by TRIFED, under the Institutional Support Scheme for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products, TRIFED undertook following purchases of tribal products from the artisans of West Bengal :-

| S.No.   | Financial Year              |   Amount in Rs. Lakhs |
|---------|-----------------------------|-----------------------|
| 1.      | 2017-18                     |                 31.1  |
| 2.      | 2018-19                     |                 86.95 |
| 3.      | 2019-20                     |                240.93 |
| 4.      | 2020-21                     |                 81.88 |
| 5.      | 2021-2022 (till 27.02.2022) |                172.9  |
|         | Total:                      |                613.76 |

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