Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved a new scheme for the development of the tribals of Odisha-LABHA (Laghu bana jatya drabya kraya), officials said.

Briefing the media, Chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said the LABHA Yojana is a 100% state-funded MSP for MFP scheme (minimum support price for minor forest produce).

The minimum support price will be determined every year by the state government.

Under the scheme, a primary collector (tribal)will be able to sell the minor forest produce at Minimum Support Price collected at the procurement centres by TDCCOL.

Since 99% of primary collectors are tribals and majority of them are women, LABHA Yojana will integrate the efforts with the Mission Shakti’s Women SHGs.

These procurement centres will be managed by SHGs /any other notified agencies assisted by TDCCOL.

Upon collection, the amount will be transferred as DBT to the beneficiary account and the SHG /any other agency will recieve Commission(2%) as well.

The procurement automation system will capture the total collection of MFP and the details of the primary collector and the procurement point. As per the 5T principles, Procurement Automation System which will be using technology to ensure transparency will bring about greater benefits for the tribal people.

For further sale, TDCCOL will do e- tendering and explore value addition and processing units.

The State Government to further benefit the tribals of is setting up a 25-crore Tamarind processing plant in Rayagada which will use the Minor Forest Produce of Tamarind procured through LABHA Yojana for value-addition .

Due to LABHA Yojana, possibility of distress sale of the produce to any middlemen will also be eliminated.

The State Government has also approved establishment of Commission for Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Languages of Scheduled Tribes of Odisha.

There are 21 tribal languages in Odisha which the state government wants to preserve, promote, develop, disseminate and safeguard of the Tribal languages in Odisha through this Commission. This Commission which will encourage multilingual education, documenting and preserving tribal languages, promoting the use of those languages, protecting linguistic rights among several enriching activities for the development of the tribal languages.

In the education system under the Multilingual Education (MLE) programme, all 21 recognized tribal languages by the State are included.

The Commission will also work towards inclusion of tribal languages like Ho, Mundari, Kui and Saora in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution by pursuing with the Centre which has been not including these languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution despite several initiatives by the government.

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Unanimous Cabinet resolution was passed today reiterating the demand for inclusion of 169 communities in the ST list of Odisha.

The cabinet today reiterated the inclusion of Ho, Mundari, Kui and Saora languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

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