Lok Sabha Question No. 1983 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-14
Subject: Promote Tribal Products
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rahul Gandhi

## 1983.    SHRI RAHUL GANDHI:

Will the Minister of Tribal Affairs be pleased to state:

- a. the initiatives being taken to support tribal enterprises access global markets;
- b. whether any initiatives have been taken to promote tribal products, especially cane  and bamboo products internationally;
- c. if so, the details thereof; and
- d. the details of enterprises established under the Mechanism for Marketing of Minor  Forest Produce through Minimum Support price and development of Value Chain of MFP in Kerala, particularly in Wayanad parliamentary constituency?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (b): The  Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides funds to Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) for marketing of tribal products by empaneling tribal suppliers comprising of individual tribal artisans, tribal Self Help Groups (SHGs), Organisations / Agencies / NGOs working with tribals  etc  under  the  scheme  'Institutional  Support  for  Marketing  and  Development  of  Tribal  Products  / Produce'.

TRIFED  has  participated in various exhibitions abroad as organised by other  Government Organisations like Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) & India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)  etc.  from  time  to  time.   Apart  from  this,  the  tribal  products  have  been  sent  to  63  Indian Missions/Embassies abroad to set up Atmanirbhar Bharat Corners.  As on date 42 such Atmanibhar corners have been set up in Indian Mission abroad.  To promote tribal art & craft in the International market, TRIFED is constantly following up with such Indian Missions/Embassies abroad to promote website: www.tribesindia.org on their social media platforms.

TRIFED has an established presence on the e-commerce front. Tribesindia.com is the e-commerce portal through which TRIFED promotes and sells products made by the tribals of India, through its 14 regional offices. Currently, more than 15,000 items (Stock Keeping Units - SKUs) are live on this portal. In addition

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1983

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 14/03/2022

## PROMOTE TRIBAL PRODUCTS

to this, TRIFED ROs have accounts with the leading 3rd party marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal etc. On these platforms too, more than 15000 SKUs are live. From April 2021 to February 2022, Sales of Rs 1.84 Cr have been reached, which is already a 40% increase from last year. Last year the sales figure for April 2020 to March 2021, was Rs. 1.31 Cr.

The details of funds granted to TRIFED for the marketing activities during the last four years are as under:

(Rs. in crore )

| Year    |   Funds released to TRIFED |
|---------|----------------------------|
| 2018-19 |                      62.5  |
| 2019-20 |                     118.5  |
| 2020-21 |                      95    |
| 2021-22 |                     113.61 |

(c) The Cane & Bamboo products such as trays, baskets, pen holder etc. have been a part of products along with other Handloom and Handicrafts items during TRIFED's participation in the International Exhibitions and also in setting up of Atmanirbhar Bharat Corners in Indian Mission abroad. However, the marketability of Cane & Bamboo products especially Home décor like Sofa set, Table, Chair etc. being large in size are not transported/carried to international event but are sold through network of TRIBES India Outlets across the country.

(d) Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram, an initiative under the Scheme 'Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP', targets livelihood generation for tribals by harnessing the wealth of forest i.e. Van Dhan. Under this programme, tribal community owned Minor Forest Produce centric multi-purpose Kendras are set up  through Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) in the districts with significant tribal population. The Kendras acts as common facility centres for procurement cum value addition to locally available Minor Forest Produce. Value addition of raw produce helps increasing the value of the MFP considerably and consequently the income of the gatherers. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has released an amount of Rs. 59.74 Crores for procurement of MFPs in Kerala State.

Under  Van  DhanYojana,  44  Van  DhanVikas  Kendras  (VDVKs)  have  been  sanctioned  in  Kerala  States, associated with 12,038 beneficiaries which include 16 VDVKs sanctioned in Wayanad District. These Van Dhan Vikas Kendras act as Micro Enterprises at Village Level. Details of enterprises established under the Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support price and development of Value Chain of MFP in Kerala, particularly in Wayanad parliamentary constituency are at Annexure .

## Annexure  referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1983 for answer on 14.03.2022 Details of VDVK sanctioned under 'MSP for MFP' Scheme in State of Kerala

|   SL.No | States   |   Total No. of VDVK Sanctioned |   Total No. of VDSHGs |   Total No. of Forest Gatherers |   Amount Sanctioned (Rs. in lakhs) |
|---------|----------|--------------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|       1 | Kerala   |                             44 |                   660 |                           12038 |                             597.25 |

## Details of VDVK sanctioned under 'MSP for MFP' Scheme in Wayanad district of Kerala

| Sl no   | District   | VDVK name                                                             |   No. of Beneficiary |
|---------|------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|
| 1       | Wayanad    | Thavinjal VDVK                                                        |                  291 |
| 2       | Wayanad    | Thiruneli VDVK                                                        |                  300 |
| 3       | Wayanad    | Poothadi VDVK                                                         |                  300 |
| 4       | Wayanad    | Pulpally VDVK                                                         |                  302 |
| 5       | Wayanad    | Noolpuzha VDVK                                                        |                  297 |
| 6       | Wayanad    | Pozhuthanavdvk                                                        |                  300 |
| 7       | Wayanad    | Moopainad VDVK                                                        |                  300 |
| 8       | Wayanad    | Thondernadvdvk                                                        |                  300 |
| 9       | Wayanad    | Thirunelly co operative society ltd no c477 ,thirunelly (po) appapara |                  300 |
| 10      | Wayanad    | Sultan bathery scheduled tribe service coop socierty                  |                  300 |
| 11      | Wayanad    | Meppadi scheduled tribe service coop socierty                         |                  300 |
| 12      | Wayanad    | The thavinhal scheduled tribe service coop socierty                   |                  300 |
| 13      | Wayanad    | The pulpally scheduled tribe service coop socierty                    |                  300 |
| 14      | Wayanad    | North wayanad vdvk, mananthavady po, wayanad-670645                   |                  300 |
| 15      | Wayanad    | South wayanad vdvk, pinangode road, kalpetta po, wayanad-673121       |                  289 |
| 16      | Wayanad    | Sulthan bathery vdvk, sulthan bathery po wayanad 673592               |                  200 |
|         |            |                                                                       |                 4679 |

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