Odisha govt approves LABHA scheme for tribals

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 29 (ANI): The Odisha government on Monday announced a new scheme -"Laghu Bana Jatya Drabya Kraya" (LABHA) for tribals under which they can sell minor forest produce at a minimum support price.
LABHA Yojana is a 100 per cent state-funded MSP for the MFP scheme (minimum support price for minor forest produce).
Taking to X, the Chief Minister's Office posted, "The Cabinet has decided to implement the 'Procurement of Minority Forest Products' scheme for the betterment of tribals. Under this, tribals can sell minor forest produce at a minimum support price. The money will be transferred directly to the beneficiary's bank account and SHGs affiliated to Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation of Odisha Ltd (TDCCOL) will be entrusted with its management".
"Under this, a plantain processing plant will also be established at Raigarh at a cost of Rs 25 crores. It will help in the systematic collection, processing and marketing of minor forest products and will play a major role in the livelihood and economic growth of the tribes," it added.
On behalf of the state government, TDCCOL will procure the forest products through women SHGs, who will get a 2 per cent benefit. It will benefit more than 30000 primary collectors and 1000 SHGs (women) in 119 Blocks of 14 predominantly tribal districts. The government made 100 crore budget provisions for this scheme.
The state cabinet approved a proposal for the Constitution of the Commission for Preservation and Promotion of tribal languages of Scheduled Tribes of Odisha. It also approved the proposal for the preservation, promotion, development, dissemination, and safeguarding of the tribal languages of Odisha.
The proposal to encourage multilingual education was also approved by the state cabinet. Children should be taught their mother tongue apart from other languages at the school level to preserve the indigenous languages and promote multilingualism.
Odisha cabinet decided to withdraw the decision taken on November 14, last year regarding the 1956 regulations that allowed transfer of tribal land to non-tribals. The land transfer decision was controversial and triggered widespread protests in Odisha.
Following the controversy, the government decided to send the matter to the tribal advisory council for further study. After that Odisha cabinet decided to withdraw the decision. (ANI)