Raipur, Oct 13 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday emphasized the need to expand the number of Van Dhan Kendras and enhance the value addition of forest produce to strengthen the rural economy and promote self-reliance among forest dwellers.
Sai was speaking at a joint conference of district collectors and divisional forest officers (DFOs) at Mahanadi Bhawan (Mantralaya) in Nava Raipur.
He discussed forest management, welfare of tendu leaf collectors, value addition of minor forest produce, eco-tourism, cultivation of medicinal plants, and diverse livelihood dimensions linked to forests, an official statement said.
“Extensive discussion was also held on promoting Minor Forest Produce (MFP)-based startups, aiming to give a new direction to the rural economy. The CM said focus must now shift towards maximizing value addition of forest produce. He stressed the need to increase the number of Van Dhan Kendras to create additional income opportunities for forest dwellers and empower them towards self-reliance,” the release informed.
Van Dhan Kendra is a government initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana for livelihood generation and value addition for tribal communities by processing minor forest produce.
“Minor forest produce (MFP) should be developed as a major source of livelihood in forest-dominated regions. Special emphasis should be laid on marketing and branding of Chhattisgarh herbal products. The process of organic certification for these products must be expedited to enhance credibility and access to national and global markets,” Sai said.
“The number of registered tendu leaf collectors in the state has now crossed 1.2 million (12 lakh), which is a testament to the success of collective administrative efforts. Officials must further accelerate computerization of the tendu leaf procurement process,” he added.
During the conference, officials were instructed to prepare a special plan to promote medicinal plant cultivation across the state, the release said.
“Detailed discussions were held with the DFOs of Dhamtari, Mungeli, and Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (GPM) districts regarding the expansion of medicinal plantations in their regions. Officials informed the cultivation of medicinal plants would not only enhance livelihoods but also preserve and promote traditional healing knowledge,” it said.
The CM further informed that the state’s forest cover has now reached 46 per cent, reflecting an impressive growth of nearly 2 percent.
He credited this achievement to initiatives such as CAMPA (The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) scheme and the innovative ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (One Tree in Mother’s Name) campaign, it said.
Speaking at the conference, state forest minister Kedar Kashyap said special efforts are being made to promote eco-tourism in tribal-dominated Bastar and Surguja divisions, and that a robust strategy is needed to link eco-tourism with livelihood generation.
“The state government is now set to procure 75 varieties of minor forest produce, which will give a significant boost to the rural economy. Chhattisgarh ranks second in the country in lac production. With a well-planned strategy and targeted execution, it could become the number one producer of lac in India,” Kashyap said. PTI TKP BNM
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