Raipur 24 September 2021. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the state government has taken several important decisions in the last two and a half years to improve the living standards of forest dwellers and minor forest produce collectors. Due to which the state of Chhattisgarh has now become the first state in the country in terms of collection of minor forest produce. Chhattisgarh has set a new record by purchasing 73 percent of the country’s forest produce. Chhattisgarh is the only state in the country, where 52 types of minor forest produce are being purchased on support price, due to which the forest dwellers and forest produce collectors are getting direct benefits.
Minor forest produce like tamarind, mahua, tora, chironji, kusumi lac, rangini lac, harra, behada, salbij, kacharia etc. are collected in Kanker district of the state. Here minor forest produce is being procured through women self-help groups, due to which these collectors as well as women self-help groups are getting employment opportunities. About 6.4 lakh quintals of minor forest produce has been purchased in Kanker district from the year 2019 to 2021, for which 18 crore 55 lakh 77 thousand rupees have been paid to the collectors. During the same period, 05 lakh 95 thousand 661 standard bags of tendu leaves were purchased by the government in Kanker district at the rate of 04 thousand per standard bag, for which Rs 02 billion 38 crore 26 lakh 49 thousand has been paid to the collectors.
On the special initiative of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in order to ensure that the forest produce collectors get remunerative price for their hard work, along with increasing the purchase price of minor forest produce, the rate of collection of tendu leaves has been increased from Rs 2500 per standard bag to Rs 4 thousand per standard. Bags were made, as well as the support price of Mahua has been increased from Rs 17 to Rs 30 per kg, tamarind has been increased from Rs 25 to Rs 36, chironji kernels have been increased from Rs 93 to Rs 126 per kg at the support price. Its direct benefit is being received by the rural collector families. Villagers have started getting additional benefits by increasing the minimum support price of other forest produce and making arrangements for purchase.
Raipur: The collectors are getting stronger due to the purchase of minor forest produce at the minimum support price.
