Our Reporter
Dimapur, Sep. 23(EMN): A one-day advocacy and training programme on Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY), organised by Marcofed Ltd, was held on Thursday at Hotel Acacia, Dimapur. The programme was virtually inaugurated by Pravir Krishna, managing director of Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
PMVDY or Van Dhan scheme is a component of the ‘Mechanism for marketing of minor forest produce’ (MFP) through minimum support price (MSP) and development of value chain of MFP that was launched on April 14, 2018. It is an initiative of TRIOFED LTD under the ministry of Tribal Affairs, government of India, targeting livelihood generation for tribals by harnessing the wealth of the forest.
The guest of honour of the day and chairman of Marcofed Ltd, M Chuba Ao, said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic many businesses were affected. He said that in Nagaland, 70% of the population are in rural areas and only 30% are in sub-urban or urban areas and in the interior, where each village has about 500-600 hectares which are unutilised and “simply a jungle”.
As Nagaland has still much potential for development, he suggested producing more products not only for domestic use but to export. He also suggested that traditional necktie for boys or scarf for girls are promoted in schools.
Further, he encouraged the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) representatives present at the programme to promote food packaging as it would promote marketing.
“Start small and one day it will be the economy of the state,” he said.
He expressed that the mindset of seeking only government jobs should stop and aim to be job providers. With 149 VDBK in the state at present, he informed that they target to reach 300 VDBK.
The regional manager (NER) of TRIFED, AD Mishra, said that the product and package was good and goes well with the upper market. He also advised that products should be pocket-friendly as nobody wants to buy a highly priced product.
He encouraged the entrepreneurs by saying that with enthusiasm, vandhan would be successful in the state. Further, he requested the chairman of Marcofed to allot two shops at Supermarket Dimapur for TRIFED and Marcofed.