KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: Requesting to return the unutilised funds provided to the State under central scheme – ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain of MFP’ to undertake procurement operations, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Monday wrote a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“The Government of India sponsored a scheme called ‘Mechanism for making of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSI) and Development of Value Chain for MFP’for 24 select MFPs lo ensure fair price for the minor forest produces gathered by the tribals with a view to help them get fair returns on the labour and other costs they invest in this work. Towards implementation of the scheme, the State Agencies were helped to undertake procurement operations under the scheme and accordingly an amount of Rs 49.91 crore was provided to Odisha as ‘Revolving Fund’ in the year 2014 by this Ministry,” said Oram in the letter to Naveen.
“During the last four years of its operations it has been observed that the total procurement during this period has been of the tune of Rs 3.80 crores only. Managing Director, TRlFED and a team of officials from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, interacted with State Government officials in a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary at Bhubaneswar on 15.09.2017 to clarify the Scheme and take it forward. The matter was then followed up with the concerned State Government officials by my officials through a series of meetings with the State Officials,” the Union Minister added.
The Union Tribal Affairs Minister urged the Odisha government to provide MSP to the tribals of the state at the Haat Bazar level where they bring forest produces in the spirit of scheme of the union government, which will protect them from any possible exploitation.
“In case the State decides to follow alternate methods to benefit tribals in this sector, I suggest that the unutilised funds may please be refunded with accrued interest along with an audit report so that the same can be optimally utilised for those States which are implementing the scheme,” Oram stated further in the letter.
Ms Kalinga