Soon, government will issue guidelines on minor forest produce
Ambika Pandit | TNN | Feb 15, 2019, 18:53 IST
File photo of minister for tribal affairs Jual Oram. (TOI)NEW DELHI: In a pre-poll assertion aimed at reaching out to the tribal belt, the government has set out an on-ground implementation plan for the recently enhanced minimum support price (MSP) for 50 non-timber minor forest produce (MFP) items across the states.
To be notified any time soon by the ministry of tribal affairs, this comes in the form of detailed guidelines focussed on decentralisation so as to ensure the procurement mechanism directly reaches the tribals and they are not exploited by middlemen.
Incidentally, the MSP for MFP programme of the ministry is slated for a review by the cabinet secretary on Friday. In its effort to reach out to tribals surviving on earnings from MFP to get fair prices when they sell their produce, MSP for 40 MFPs was notified in December.
TOI had reported on the hike in MSP which ranged from 200% to 5.6% for 19 MFPs already on the list of 23 and 17 new items were added. Later prices of 10 more MFPs were notified. However, learning from the shortcomings that have marked the scheme since it took off in 2013-14, this time the government has entered into MoUs with states to ensure implementation of the revised MSP.
The outreach involves 307 tribal districts across 27 states with 5.5 crore tribals seen as beneficiaries. The guidelines approved by minister for tribal affairs Jual Oram earlier this week clearly set out the role of the authorities at the central, state and district level.
To be notified any time soon by the ministry of tribal affairs, this comes in the form of detailed guidelines focussed on decentralisation so as to ensure the procurement mechanism directly reaches the tribals and they are not exploited by middlemen.
Incidentally, the MSP for MFP programme of the ministry is slated for a review by the cabinet secretary on Friday. In its effort to reach out to tribals surviving on earnings from MFP to get fair prices when they sell their produce, MSP for 40 MFPs was notified in December.
TOI had reported on the hike in MSP which ranged from 200% to 5.6% for 19 MFPs already on the list of 23 and 17 new items were added. Later prices of 10 more MFPs were notified. However, learning from the shortcomings that have marked the scheme since it took off in 2013-14, this time the government has entered into MoUs with states to ensure implementation of the revised MSP.
The outreach involves 307 tribal districts across 27 states with 5.5 crore tribals seen as beneficiaries. The guidelines approved by minister for tribal affairs Jual Oram earlier this week clearly set out the role of the authorities at the central, state and district level.
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