Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (Tribal Livelihoods)
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Schemes for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and Divyangjan · Topic 15.6
The Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana, commonly called Van Dhan Vikas Yojana, is a livelihood scheme launched on 14 April 2018 by the Prime Minister at Bijapur in Chhattisgarh, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs with the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) as the nodal agency. It forms part of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission. The scheme sets up Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, common facility centres where about 300 tribal gatherers, organised into 15 self-help groups, add value to minor forest produce such as tamarind, mahua, honey and lac, and sell it at better prices through Tribes India outlets and e-commerce.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Schemes for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and Divyangjan
At a Glance
- Launched 14 April 2018, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh
- Ministry Tribal Affairs
- Nodal agency TRIFED
- Unit Van Dhan Vikas Kendra, about 300 members, 15 SHGs
- Parent mission Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission
- Companion scheme MSP for minor forest produce
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Schemes for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and Divyangjan
Where Does It Fit?
This topic is the livelihood link in the tribal welfare group. The schools and village schemes cover services, and Van Dhan covers income from forest produce. Previous topic: Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS). Next topic: PM-JANMAN (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups).
How Does the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Work?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Structure | A Van Dhan Vikas Kendra is a common facility centre run by a cluster of about 15 self-help groups, with around 20 members each, so about 300 tribal gatherers per kendra |
| Activities | Collection, sorting, drying, grading, processing, packaging and sale of minor forest produce and local products |
| Initial support | Each kendra received initial funds for infrastructure and working capital, with training in product handling, as per the ministry guidelines |
| Nodal agency | TRIFED trains, links buyers and brands products under Tribes India |
| Convergence | State agencies and the Ministry of Rural Development, forest departments and NABARD are brought in for credit, training and technology |
| Scale | TRIFED sanctioned about 4,000 kendras by the 2024 to 2025 period, as reported, though counts differ across sources, so ministry data should be checked |
What Is Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce?
- Mechanism: the Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price and Development of Value Chain for MFP gives gatherers a floor price for notified items
- Start: the MSP for MFP scheme began in 2013-14 and was expanded and revamped in 2018 to cover more items and states
- Items: a notified list that includes items such as tamarind, mahua flower, lac and wild honey, updated from time to time
- Agencies: state nodal agencies procure at MSP, with the Centre and TRIFED supporting working capital and value chain work
- Link to Van Dhan: the kendras add value to the same produce, so the gatherer gains from both a floor price and processing
- Legal base: the Forest Rights Act, 2006 gives communities rights to own, collect and sell minor forest produce
- Gram sabha role: rights over minor forest produce under the Act support community control, as under the PESA framework of 1996
- Tribes India: the brand of TRIFED sells tribal products through outlets and online platforms
What Else Should You Remember?
- Why needed: many tribal households depend on forest produce, but gatherers get low prices because of middlemen and weak storage
- Convergence with Aspirational Districts: TRIFED and NITI Aayog agreed to apply Van Dhan in tribal clusters in aspirational districts, as in Aspirational Districts Programme
- Link to PM-JANMAN: a number of new kendras were added under the mission for vulnerable groups, as in PM-JANMAN (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups)
- Link to bigger mission: the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan also supports tribal livelihoods in 63,843 villages
- Link to village plans: see Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY) for the infrastructure side
- Criticism: many kendras work below capacity, markets are thin, procurement under MSP is uneven across states and branding remains weak
- Sustainability: kendras need steady orders, working capital and managers, or they become idle after training ends
- Forest Rights Act: weak recognition of community forest rights reduces control by tribal groups over produce
- Good practices: some states give tribal groups access to processing units, cold storage and packaging, and sell to cooperative chains
- Way forward: link kendras with food processing schemes and online markets, improve MSP coverage and strengthen gram sabha rights
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Launch: 14 April 2018 at Bijapur, Chhattisgarh
- Agency: TRIFED, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
- Unit: Van Dhan Vikas Kendra with about 300 members in 15 SHGs
- Companion: MSP for minor forest produce
- Common errors: confusing with Jan Dhan Yojana or placing it under the Ministry of Environment
As an analytical point, forest produce schemes help most when tribal groups hold rights over the produce and can reach buyers directly. Processing without market links and secure rights leaves gatherers dependent on the same middlemen.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Prelims Launch, agency and structure are asked as facts
- Mains Tribal livelihoods and value chains
- Linkage Joins Forest Rights Act, PESA and SHG schemes
What Came Next?
The next topic covers a mission for the most vulnerable tribal groups. Next topic: PM-JANMAN (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups).
Key People and Terms
- TRIFED Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India
- VDVK Van Dhan Vikas Kendra
- MFP Minor forest produce
- SHG Self-help group
- Tribes India TRIFED brand
- FRA Forest Rights Act, 2006
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Launched 14 April 2018 at Bijapur, Chhattisgarh.
- Nodal agency: TRIFED.
- Kendra: about 300 members, 15 SHGs.
- MSP for MFP began in 2013-14.
- Part of Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission.
Do Not Confuse With
- Van Dhan and Jan Dhan Tribal livelihood scheme versus bank account scheme
- TRIFED and NABARD Tribal marketing federation versus agriculture and rural development bank
- MSP for MFP and MSP for crops Floor price for forest produce versus crop procurement
Memory Hook
Forest wealth, forest hands: Van Dhan turns gatherers into processors.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about tribal livelihoods. These points give a balanced frame.
- Idea Value addition and floor price
- Gaps Markets, working capital, rights
- Way forward Rights, links and online sales
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss how value addition and MSP for minor forest produce can improve livelihoods of tribal communities.”
How to Answer
- Intro Explain Van Dhan and MSP for MFP.
- Benefits Price, processing, SHGs.
- Gaps Markets and rights.
- Way FRA recognition and market links.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana?
It is a tribal livelihood scheme launched on 14 April 2018 under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, with TRIFED as nodal agency. It sets up Van Dhan Vikas Kendras where tribal gatherers process and sell minor forest produce, which improves prices and creates local value addition.
Which agency implements Van Dhan Vikas Yojana?
The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India, called TRIFED, is the nodal agency under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It trains self-help groups, sanctions kendras, links buyers and markets products through its Tribes India brand with help from states and other agencies.
What is a Van Dhan Vikas Kendra?
A Van Dhan Vikas Kendra is a common facility centre for processing and marketing minor forest produce. A typical kendra has about 300 tribal members organised into 15 self-help groups, who collect, grade, process, package and sell items such as tamarind, mahua, honey and lac.
Who is eligible to join a Van Dhan Vikas Kendra?
Tribal gatherers of minor forest produce and artisans, organised in self-help groups of about 20 members, can form a kendra, with 15 groups forming one cluster. Preference goes to tribal areas with abundant forest produce, and aspirational districts and vulnerable tribal group areas receive special attention.
What is the latest status of Van Dhan?
TRIFED reportedly sanctioned about 3,958 to 4,125 kendras by 2024 to 2025, though other sources give different counts. The scheme continues alongside PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, so TRIFED and ministry sites should be checked for current figures.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Van Dhan Yojana was launched in 2018 from Bijapur in Chhattisgarh.
The date was 14 April 2018.
2 TRIFED is the nodal agency for Van Dhan.
It works under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
3 A typical Van Dhan Vikas Kendra has about 15 members.
It has about 300 members in 15 self-help groups.
4 Van Dhan is run by the Ministry of Environment.
Tribal Affairs runs it.
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