resently 67 minor forest produce are being purchased at support price.
More than 4 times increase in the number of forest produce collectors in four years
Forest produce collectors increased from 1.5 lakh to more than 6 lakh
Chhattisgarh government is also purchasing Kodo, Kutki and Ragi at support price.
Raipur, 20 September 2023
Unprecedented work has been done in Chhattisgarh regarding employment, self-employment, better management of local resources and entrepreneurship development. In the last four and a half years, the benefits of these schemes have reached the needy people living in rural areas and remote forest areas. As per the intention of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel, under the guidance of Forest Minister Mr. Mohammad Akbar, many important works have been done in the interest of the forest dwellers and tribals living in the forest areas of Chhattisgarh. This is the reason why 74 percent of the country’s minor forest produce is stored in Chhattisgarh.
In Chhattisgarh, in the interest of collectors, the number of minor forest produce is being increased from 7 to 67 at present. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief of Forest Force Shri V. Srinivas Rao said that as a result, the number of collectors has increased by more than 4 times in the last four and a half years, in the year 2018-19 the number of collectors was 1.5 lakh, which has increased to 6 lakh today. A total of 42 thousand metric tons of minor forest produce has been purchased in the year 2021-22, whereas this quantity was 540 metric tons in the year 2018-19. In this context, Managing Director State Minor Forest Produce Association Shri Anil Rai said that Millet Mission is also being run to promote minor grain crops in Chhattisgarh. Under this, Kodo, Kutki and Ragi are being purchased at support price.
Chhattisgarh is the largest forest produce collecting state in the entire country. In the last four and a half years, as a result of public welfare schemes of Chhattisgarh government, about 13 lakh tendu leaf collectors and 06 lakh forest produce collectors are getting additional income. In the interest of the collectors, the tendu leaf collection rate has been increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 per standard bag, while Rs 2146.75 crore as tendu leaf collection remuneration has been paid to the collectors during the last four years. Under the Shaheed Mahendra Karma Tendupatta Collector Social Security Scheme, assistance worth Rs 71.02 crore has been provided to 4692 beneficiaries in the interest of collector families.
Chhattisgarh is also the leading state in the country in the implementation of forest rights. The Chhattisgarh government has given the status of agriculture to lac production and has also implemented a scheme to provide short-term loans to lac producing farmers, as a result of which even the lac producing farmers are becoming financially strong today.
