Udaipur, February 13: In a significant development for tribal communities in Rajasthan, there are currently 505 Forest Produce Development Centers (VDVKs) operational, benefiting over 152,362 individuals. This information was shared by the Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Durga Das Urdke, in response to a question raised by MP Dr. Mannalal Rawat in Parliament.
These centers aim to commercialize the traditional knowledge and skills of tribal communities. TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) has listed over 100,000 products across eight categories, including textiles, pottery, paintings, handicrafts, bamboo, metal, jewelry, and natural products, sourced from 283 tribal artisans and suppliers linked to 51,774 families in Rajasthan.
Established under the Prime Minister’s Van Dhan Yojana, these centers focus on transforming the traditional skills of tribal communities into economic activities. They assist in the processing and marketing of minor forest produce, with a particular emphasis on empowering tribal women and enhancing their income.
The Indian government launched the Van Dhan Yojana to benefit tribal communities on April 14, 2018, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is committed to expanding these centers in tribal districts across the country.
The Van Dhan Mission aims to generate livelihood opportunities for tribes by utilizing non-timber forest products, which are valued at approximately ₹2 lakh crore annually. This initiative promotes the collective empowerment of tribal communities.
The Minister also highlighted that TRIFED is a national-level multi-state cooperative society registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984, with amendments in 2002 and 2023. Under the PMJVY scheme, the ministry notifies the minimum support price (MSP) for minor forest produce and provides revolving funds to state governments for procurement at the notified MSP. To date, the ministry has released ₹319.65 crore to state governments for the purchase of minor forest produce.