On October 13, 2020, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur & Chhattisgarh MFP (Minor Forest Produce) Federation virtually launched “Tech for Tribals” Initiative. The initiative aims for holistic development of Tribals with focus on Entrepreneurship development, soft skills, Information Technology (IT) and Business Development.
The event was attended by Shri Pravir Krishna, MD, TRIFED; Shri Sanjay Shukla, Managing Director, CGMFPFED; Prof Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Prof-In-Charge, Incubator @ IIT Kanpur; Dr. Nikhil Agarwal, the CEO, FIRST IIT Kanpur; officials from TRIFED, Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce (CGMFPFED), and IIT Kanpur and the beneficiaries of the program.
Partnering Agencies:
As part of this initiative, TRIFED has partnered with National Institutions such as IIT Kanpur, Art of Living, Bangalore, TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences) Mumbai, KISS (Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences) Bhubaneswar, Vivekananda Kendra, Tamil Nadu and SRIJAN (Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action), Rajasthan to impart training to the beneficiaries.
Key Points:
i.It aims to make Tribals of India “Aatmanirbhar” (self-reliant) by helping them to bridge the gap between tribal entrepreneurs and urban markets.
ii.TRIFED has collaborated with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) through ESDP (Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme) for skill upgrading to the Van Dhan Tribal beneficiaries for sustainable enterprise.
iii.Beneficiaries will undergo 6-weeks training in various phases of micro-enterprise creation, management, and functioning. The Training module for the program has been prepared by IIT, Kanpur.
iv.The main aim of the program is holistic development of tribals through Self Help Groups (SHGs) operating through Van Dhan Kendras (VDVKs).
v.It aims to use the traditional knowledge and skills of tribals to optimize their income through VDVKs.
Three Pillars of the Programme:
The three pillars of the programme are Engagement, Capacity Building, and Market Linkages.
TRIFED Initiative:
i.TRIFED has sanctioned 1243 Van Dhan Kendras in 21 States and 1 Union Territory involving 3.68 Lakh Tribal Gatherers.
ii.TRIFED will conduct Training programs in states of Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
Recent Related News:
i.On 8th May 2020, TRIFED under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Art of Living(AOL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)to collaborate in programmes of each organisation to promote the tribal enterprises.
ii.On March 19, 2020, A 30- days long capacity-building program called “Tech for Tribal” was launched by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
About Ministry of Tribal Affairs:
TRIFED is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Union Minister – Arjun Munda
Minister of State (MoS) – Renuka Singh Saruta
