GS PAPER II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Context: A vast network of Van Dhan Kendras established across the country

About Van Dhan Vikas Yojana:

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED.
• It was launched on 14th April, 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products.
• The scheme is implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
• At State level, the State Nodal Agency for Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at grassroot level.
• Locally the Kendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster.
• Under Van Dhan, 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers is constituted.
• The establishment of "Van Dhan Vikas Kendra" is for providing skill upgradation and capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facility.
• They are then trained and provided with working capital to add value to the products, which they collect from the jungle.
• Working under the leadership of Collector these groups can then market their products not only within the States but also outside the States.
• Training and technical support is provided by TRIFED.

About TRIFED:

• Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED) is a national level cooperative body under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
• It was established under the Multi-state co-operative societies act 1984 under the former Ministry of Welfare. Later it came under the control of Ministry of Tribal affairs.
• In order to empower the downtrodden tribal community it started the procurement of tribal art and craft items firstly in 1999 through its retail outlet called TRIBES INDIA.
• In case of fluctuations in the price of these MFPs, the mandate of TRIFED is to provide adequate compensation to the tribals through Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.
• It also provides information to the tribals about the fair price of their products and enables them to bargain for it.
• In order to support tribal art and craft it organises the tribal art and craft exhibition called "Aadi Mahotsav"; where tribal craft products from all over the country are exhibited and bought by the art lovers.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1712326

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