Katkari tribe generate income through Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana 

Katkari tribe generate income through Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana 

Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-I – Culture & GS-II – Welfare schemes

In News:

• Katkari tribal youth from Shahpur in Maharashtra were in news recently for selling Giloy and other products online during lockdown. 
• They received help under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY). 
• Giloy is an Ayurvedic herb that has been used and advocated in Indian medicine for ages.

Important value additions 

Katkari tribe 

• The Katkari are an Indian Tribe mostly belonging to the state of Maharashtra. 
• Katkari is one of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• The Madia Gond and the Kolam are other tribal groups included in this group.
• Their vulnerability derives from their history as a nomadic, forest-dwelling people.
• They were listed by the British Raj under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. 
• They are subjected to the stigma even to this day. 
• Presently, the Katkari are a fragmented and very scattered community. 
• They are highly dependent on others for their livelihoods.
• Most Katkari are landless workers.

The Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY)

• It was launched in 2018.

• The scheme is run by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
• It is an initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribals by harnessing the wealth of forest i.e. Van Dhan. 
• The programme aims to tap into traditional knowledge & skill sets of tribals by adding technology & IT to upgrade it at each stage. 
• The initiative shall provide enhanced livelihood to about 45 lakhs tribal gatherers in one year. 
• Tribal community owned Minor Forest Produce (MFP)-centric multi-purpose Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (the Kendra) are set up.
• Essential Features of the PMVDY:
  • The State Nodal Department will have the flexibility to appoint any State Implementing Agency / District Implementing Unit for implementation of the PMVDY in the State and District levels. 
  • The Kendras would act as common facility centres for procurement cum value addition to locally available MFPs. 
  • A typical Van Dhan Vikas Kendra shall constitute of 15 tribal Van Dhan Self Help Groups (SHG)