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GUWAHATI: Pradhan Mantri Van DhanYojana or Van Dhan Scheme launched on April 14, 2018 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Ministry of Tribal Affairs as nodal department at central level and TRIFED as nodal agency at national level. This scheme is a well thought master plan for the socio-economic development of the tribal population of the country, stated a release from the PIB, Guwahati.
TRIFED in Assam has sanctioned 50 Van DhanVikas Kendra (VDVK's) under the scheme covering 13 districts of the State. The Directorate of Welfare of Plain Tribes & Backward Classes, Assam (WPTBC) is the State Nodal Agency and Assam Plain Tribes Development Corporation Ltd. (APTDC Ltd.), Government of Assam is the Implementing Agency for the scheme in Assam. Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India is the Resource Agency providing technical supports in the effective implementation of the scheme.
Stepping ahead with the vision of the scheme, IIE is constantly engaging with the tribal communities of the State and working towards bringing optimum outcomes by ensuring quality training programmes in Assam, the release added. IIE has completed first phase of 'Minor Forest Produce (MFP) value addition training programme' in Dhanubhanga VDVK under Goalpara district of Assam. The four days training programme started on September 22 with the 30 tribal beneficiaries representing the Bodo and Rabha tribal communities. These communities are highly dependent on the forest produces and they access their livelihood opportunities by selling the available forest resources in the local market.
IIE has supported these beneficiaries by purchasing the unsold resources such as 'Jackfruit Seeds' and 'Joha Rice' in the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Jackfruit seeds are abundantly found in the area due to maximum availability of these trees depending on the climatic conditions. Through MSP the institute has been able to provide a market for the communities in the difficult time of COVID-19 and is able to create a source of income for the people. In the recently concluded training program, it has built the capacity of these beneficiaries in the area of value addition through product grading, sorting, packaging and branding. As of now, the institute has been able to value add 165 kg of Joha rice and 151 kg of jackfruit seeds in Dhanubhanga VDVK only. These products are packaged in the name of brand called "TRISSAM" a value added products from the tribes of Assam. The brand that is taking shape from the forest produces collected by the tribal communities of Assam.
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