NITI AAYOG -TRIFED join hands for Van Dhan Yojana

Last Updated25/07/2021

The Scheme will be implemented in the districts identified as aspirational districts by NITI Aayog.
The collaboration and partnership with the support of the collectors and other district officials is aimed at a complete transformation of the tribal ecosystem across the country.
This aligns with the Prime Minister's call for “Atmanirbhar Bharat” aligned to the slogan of “Be Vocal for Local Buy Tribal”.

Many initiatives by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) have proved helpful by generating employment and income for the tribal population.

Van Dhan tribal start-ups and
Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) Through Minimum Support Price (MSP) &
Development of Value Chain for MFP’ Scheme that provides MSP to gatherers of forest produces
Introduction of value addition and marketing through tribal groups and clusters

These initiatives, spearheaded by TRIFED, exemplify MFP-led Tribal Development in Mission Mode.
Tribals have been made legal owners of MFP in their areas.
Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been announced for several MFPs.
Under the program the processing and value-addition to MFP will be done in a well-equipped common facility centres which are to be called Van DhanVikas Kendra.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED launched the Van Dhan yojana in 2018.
It intends to improve the tribal income through the value addition of tribal products.
It is a component of the The ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP’
The scheme will be implemented through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
The initiative targets livelihood generation for tribal gatherers and transforming them into entrepreneurs by setting up tribal community-owned Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Clusters (VDVKCs) in predominantly forested tribal districts.
A VDVK Cluster shall constitute of 15 tribal SHGs / Van dhan Kendras, each comprising of up to 20 tribal NTFP gatherers or artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Cluster.

As per TRIFED, 2275 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Clusters (VDVKCs) of 300 forest dwellers each, have been sanctioned by TRIFED as of date.
A typical Van Dhan Vikas Kendra includes 20 tribal members.
15 such Van Dhan Vikas Kendras form 1 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra cluster.
The Clusters will provide the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras economies of scale, livelihood and market-linkages, as well as entrepreneurship opportunities to nearly 6.77 lakh Tribal forest gatherers in 27 states and 2 UTs.
50 lakh tribals have been impacted by the Van Dhan start-ups programme up until now.
This plan has proved to be a boon during the pandemic times with dwindling livelihoods for the marginalised.
With good planning and implementation, TRIFED and its State Agency partners in 27 states, have brought about a paradigm shift in the program outcomes.

TRIFED’s Van DhanYojana is in different stages of implementation in the 124 districts which have been declared as Aspirational Districts.
In these districts the classification has been done based on the percentage of tribal population as well as the economic feasibility of formation of VDVKCs in the district.
TRIFED is already working in 65 Aspirational Districts where 521 Van Dhan Clusters (VDVKCs) have been sanctioned involving 1.55 lakhs tribal beneficiaries.
This will be extended to all tribal clusters of Aspirational districts.