Bhubaneswar: Livelihood of tribal communities and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD) dependent on the forests for collection and sale of minor forest produce (MFP) has now come under threat due to the dysfunctional government procurement centres.
A large number Scheduled Tribe (ST) people and OTFDs are dependent on the non-timber MFP which is allowed to be sold under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to sustain their livelihood. According to experts on tribal livelihood, the time period from March to June is the prime time for the communities to collect the forest produce and sale it which has now been disrupted.
“Due to the lockdown the livelihood of the indigenous communities is heavily hit. Despite announcement of relaxation in the sector, the procurement is yet to start in the state. Seeing the adverse situation, the government procurement agencies must expedite the process,” said Chitta Ranjan Pani, a tribal livelihood expert from the state.
He added that the payments against the procurement should also be made faster. “All the Kendu Leaf Phadis must be opened at least three days in a week in all the Kendu Leaf Divisions so that the Kendu leaf pluckers can sell their produce without facing any problem. However, there is a need to abide the safety measures related to COVID-19 in all the phadis in the state,” he added.
There are more than 1,200 Primary Procurement Agencies (PPA) identified and agreement signed by the Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation (TDCC) in 23 districts which need to buy these forest produce at the minimum support price (MSP) set by the government. The PPAs should be immediately reach out by TDCCOL and District Administration for procurement of MFPs like mohua flowers, tamarind, karanja seeds etc at MSP declared by the Centre.
Many experts opine that under the absence of government support or delay in implementing government orders in allowing NTFPs sales through government agencies, the communities will be left with no option but to go for distress sales.
“This is the peak time for the MFP collectors to earn minimum of `7,500 in three months which has now been disrupted due to dysfunctional market. This is the perfect time for the government to show their support to the community which is also affected by the loss of other avenues of livelihood during lockdown,” said Y Giri Rao, Director, Vasundhara, a voluntary organisation which works on tribal rights and livelihood.
Giri said that the communities could also be given wage based work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (MGNREGS) to assist them in sustaining their families. He also demanded the government to exempt GST on the MFPs for a few months.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has also been giving the state funds to procure such collections and get its value addition through SHGs under the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVK). There are provisions of setting up of 156 VDVK Centres in the State.
The state government should establish and function the collection centres under the VDVK and through PPAs immediately and procure the MFPs to save livelihood of tribals, said Pani.
Manish Kumar, OP