PMVDY: Nagaland submits plans for 31 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra
(Image Courtesy: Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojna @VanDhanSeVikas)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 24
A total of 31 proposals for setting Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) have been received from Nagaland under the 100-day plan of Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY), a national programme driven by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (TRIFED) under Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
According to an update on the official Twitter handle of PMVDY, it will benefit a total of 9300 tribal gatherers in the state, with a typical VDVKs comprising of about 300 beneficiaries.
The VDVKs is “empowering 5.5 crore tribal gatherers in 307 districts of 27 states,” the update added.
According to information given on TRIFED’s website, a typical VDVK is constituted of 10 tribal Van Dhan Vikas Self Help Groups (SHG), each comprising of upto “30 minor forest produces (MFP) gatherers or tribal handicraft artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Kendra (subject to variability as per local conditions).”
Initially each SHG associated with the Kendra shall involve primary value addition of MFP items through mechanical tools such as decorticators, sickle, secateurs, cutting tools, dryers, graders etc. Subject to successful operations of the SHGs in a Kendra for period of atleast six months, the common infrastructure facilities (pucca Kendra) may be provided to the Kendra such as building, warehouse, primary processing, packaging facilities etc. for use of the SHG members, it added.
Each Kendra would act as common facility centres for procurement cum value addition to locally available MFPs and skill based handicraft.
The 100-day plan of PMVDY, a national programme driven by TRIFED (nodal agency) under Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Nodal Department), is aimed at empowering tribals all over the country to make them entrepreneurs and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of products.
Initially launched in April 2018, PMVDY is a Market Linked Tribal Entrepreneurship Development Program for forming clusters of tribal Self Help Groups and strengthening them into Tribal Producer Companies, according to a PIB release.
