TRIFED urged to look into infrastructural needs in Eastern Nagaland

N. Bongkhao Konyak and others during the state level advocacy and publicity workshop held in Kohima on September 27. (Morung Photo)
 

Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 27

To ensure successful implementation of Van Dhan scheme in Nagaland, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs in association with Department for Development of Underdeveloped Areas (DUDA) organized the state level advocacy and publicity workshop on Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram (VDVK).

VDVK under Prime Minister Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is for promoting tribal entrepreneurs through value addition, branding and marketing of forest produces. It is an initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal population by harnessing the wealth of forest i.e. Van Dhan.

In Nagaland, the nodal department for implementation of Van Dhan scheme is environment, forest and climate change, Nagaland with DUDA and MARFOFED, Nagaland as implementing agency.

Advisor DUDA, N. Bongkhao Konyak said due to lack of Air and Rail connectivity in Eastern Nagaland, all raw materials have to be transported to commercial hubs far away, this has resulted in high cost for development. He, therefore, requested TRIFED to look into the infrastructural needs so as to boost the SHGs in upscaling the production and providing livelihood opportunities to people living in remote areas.

He said that due to lack of job opportunities and lack of proximity to commercial Districts, the people of the region cannot effectively initiate self-employment venture other than dependency on government jobs or government funding.

The Advisor said that the department's objective of creating ecosystem to wean off the public from government dependency and to create economic vitality within the region will require enough commitment and support from the Government of India.

He was hopeful that the tribal people will derive benefit out of this scheme.

Stating that the main objective of DUDA is to implement people centric developmental programmes for Eastern Nagaland region, the advisor said “With this objective, the department is working tirelessly to bridge the gap in terms of providing economic and livelihood opportunities and to bring the backward region at par with the rest of the state.”

He told the workshop that ever since the inception in 2003, DUDA has made enormous strides and successfully created infrastructure and provided livelihood solutions for ensuring sustainable growth in the Eastern region. He said that there are 337 villages in Eastern Nagaland.

“With the lack of proper road and basic infrastructure in place, it is still an uphill task for the department to successfully impact the region,” he said.

Moreover with the lack of air and rail connectivity, all raw materials have to be transported from commercial hubs as far as Dimapur or through Assam. This has resulted in high cost for development, he said.

Toshi Wungtung, Advisor SCERT, IPR and VGs stressed on the need to avoid the use of pesticides and other chemicals so that environment and soil is not spoiled and organic products remain to stay in the state.

TRIFED consultant Roy Mathews said that Van Dhan will promote and leverage the collective strength of tribal through Self Help Groups. A Kendra shall constitute of 15 tribal SHGs, each comprising of upto 20 tribal NTFP gatherers or artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Kendra, he said. He said that about 3000 VDVK are proposed to be set up across the country in a year, in the catchment area of village haat bazaars.

DUDA joint director Dr. Anungla Imdong Phom said that DUDA is the state implementing agency for Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Products (MFP) and Minimum Service Price (MSP) and development of value chain for MFP (MSP for MFP) for Eastern Nagaland areas under TRIFED, MoTA, Gol from 2018-19 and is actively involved in elevating the livelihood of farmers and minor forest produces gatherers. So far, she said, 70 SHGs with 2100 Household as beneficiaries in 7 (seven) Block/Kendra have been identified under Phase-I.

She said the department plans to up-skill these SHGs through various capacity building programmes to enhance their income and living standard.

Lhoubeilatuo Kire, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Department of Underdeveloped Areas and Tribal Affairs chaired the function.

Eastern part of Nagaland needs greater support: TRIFED 
 

Kohima, September 27 (MExN): Managing Director, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI, Pravir Krishna, IAS today said the proposal from Nagaland for Van Dhan project was not only the first but the pioneer which also provided insights on how to go about with the project. 

He emphasized on organising Tribal Artisan Mela in the State to empanel all the Self Help Groups, he also added that the “Eastern part of Nagaland needs greater support.”

He was addressing the State advocacy and publicity workshop on Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram was conducted by TRIFED and Department of Underdeveloped Areas on at the Deck, Hotel Vivor, Kohima on September 27. 

A DIPR report stated that the Managing Director said TRIFED has contacted Amazon, and the e-commerce company can market the products all over the world. Lauding the local packaging system of products, which is natural and organic, he said bamboo, cardomom, ginger, turmeric and others can be marketed in retail. He also talked on the importance of Processing and Value Addition, “hygiene and packaging are important for the brand; your groups can do it here and earn that 500 times profit the companies are getting through it. Van Dhan can bring a lot of prosperity to all the hardworking people in every village.” 

He informed that there is business to be made not only through bamboo products but also through carbon credit he added that TRIFED is registered with UNO, and the UN agencies will pay millions of dollars through carbon credit just by growing bamboo and making charcoal. He further said that the whole process has to be transparent from enlisting as Jan Dhan member to maintenance of records “If u succeed in your endeavor, in six months another Rs. 20 lakh will be given apart from the initial incentives, and marketing and rest of it will all be tied up by TRIFED,” he stated.