The Odisha government on January 29 announced the launch of LABHA (‘Laghu Bana Jatya Drabya Kraya’) Yojana a 100% State-funded minimum support price (MSP) scheme for minor forest produce (MFP).
The decision, which the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik termed historic, is likely to impact the State’s large tribal population, which numbers close to one crore or 23% of Odisha’s total population. The new scheme may help the ruling BJD make further inroads into tribal pockets and forest fringe areas.
From now on, the MSP of MFP will be determined every year by the State government. Under the scheme, a primary collector (a tribal person) will be able to sell the MFP, collected at the procurement centres by the Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation Limited of Odisha (TDCCOL), at the MSP.
