Van Dhan Yojana
Also called: Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana, Van Dhan Vikas Kendra · Topic: Safeguards for Vulnerable Sections: SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, Women and Children · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Van Dhan Yojana is a scheme for tribal people who collect minor forest produce. Minor forest produce means things gathered from forests other than timber, such as honey or tamarind. The scheme was launched on 14 April 2018. Its nodal agency, the body that runs it, is TRIFED, a multi-state cooperative society under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The scheme helps tribal gatherers process, package and sell what they collect, so they earn more than they would by selling raw produce.
Example
Tribal gatherers form self-help groups (SHGs), which are small groups of people who pool their work and savings. Fifteen such SHGs, about 300 people, make up one cluster called a Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK). Each cluster gets ₹15 lakh in support. The cluster turns raw forest produce into finished goods that can be sold through markets such as TRIFED's Tribes India outlets.
Don't confuse with
- PM Vishwakarma Yojana: This scheme is run by the Ministry of MSME, not Tribal Affairs. It was launched in 2023 for artisans in 18 traditional trades. It supports individual artisans with training, toolkits and collateral-free loans. Van Dhan instead groups forest-produce gatherers into clusters.
- MSP for MFP: This is another TRIFED programme. It assures gatherers a minimum price for raw forest produce. Van Dhan adds value to that produce by processing and packaging it.