For successful implementation of Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMDVY) scheme, Manipur state was conferred with five national awards during the first Van Dhan Annual Awards, 2020-21 at the celebration of 34th foundation day of TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs on Friday.
The five awards are ‘The Most Pro active State’, ‘Best Digital Friendly State’, ‘Best Sales generated (2nd Place)’, ‘Most number of Van Dhan Vikas Kendra established (2nd place)’ and ‘Best Training (2nd place).’ The awards were presented by the Union Tribal Minister Arjun Munda through a Zoom webinar.
The state also received various State Van Dhan Awards (North Eastern Region) by different Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs).
The award ‘Scope of operation’ was received by Kasom Khullen Phungrum VDVK, Kamjong VDVK and Rani Gaidinliu VDVK. The award ‘Maximum Sales generated’ was received by Dziilimosa VDVK, Hungphung Kaziphung VDVK and Rani Gaidinliu VDVK.
The award ‘Range of value added items’ was received by Churachandpur VDVK, Dziilimosa VDVK and Kamjong VDVK, while the award ‘Procurement under MSP for MFP scheme’ was received by Rani Gaidinliu VDVK, and ‘Innovation and Creative Marketing Idea’ was received by Hungphung VDVK, Churachandpur VDVK and DADA Senapati VDVK.
Since 2019-20, there have been 139 VDVKs established with the formation of 3,320 SHGs, benefitting 41,908 tribal entrepreneurs in 14 Forest Divisions of Manipur under Pradhan Mantri Van Yojana implemented by the Forest department, stated a release.
It stated that VDVK is a component of the mechanism for marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP scheme which is a Van Dhan tribal start-ups programme for value addition, branding and marketing of MFP by establishing VDVKs to provide employment for tribal populations and increase in their income.
Van Dhan products include a wide array of products ranging from wild fruit candy (alma, wild apple, pineapple, ginger, Burmese grapes, plum), jam (pineapple, alma, plum), spices (dalchini, turmeric, ginger, chilly, tejpata), pickles (bamboo shoot, king chilly) to dried shredded bamboo shoots, banana chips, cassava chips, tea leaf bags, herbal tea, herbal soaps and others, it stated. These products have been processed and packaged in VDVKs, it mentioned.
The products are sold in the local markets as well as outside state through the ‘Tribes India’ outlets and on TribesIndia.com, it further stated, adding till date, VDVKs of Manipur have registered as sale of product worth Rs 190 Lakh.
To increase the income of VDVKs, initiatives have been taken to diversify the production items for capturing more markets by including MFPs, agri based items, horti based items, medicinal plants, floriculture and others as the scheme offers huge potential of creating livelihood opportunities for the tribal beneficiaries and to ensure that such enterprises run sustainably year round, it added.
