AP's Van Dhan Yojana raises tribals' earnings by 60%

THE Van Dhan Scheme, implemented by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED), has not just helped tribals earn a living, but has also turned them into entrepreneurs.

- D SURENDRA KUMAR

Under the initiative, the tribals form self-help groups, collect minor forest produce (MFP) and sell it. Further, they also undergo training to add value to the forest produce to further enhance their income and create jobs.

Elaborating on the scheme, ITDA (Yanadis) project officer Dr Rani Manda said, “Van Dhan is an initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribals by harnessing the wealth of forest. The programme aims to tap into traditional knowledge and skill sets of tribals through technology to upgrade it at each stage and convert tribal wisdom into a viable economic activity. Accordingly, one Vandhan Vikas Yojana Kendra (VDVK) has been established at Rapur Mandal. This VDVK consists of 15 self-help groups (SHG) with 1520 members each.”