Parliament Question: Forest Rights Act and livelihood security

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 3028 TO BE ANSWERED ON- 18/03/2026 FOREST RIGHTS ACT AND LIVELIHOOD SECURITY 3028 SHRI KESRIDEVSINH JHALA: SHRI RAJIB BHATTACHARJEE: SHRI UJJWAL DEORAO NIKAM: Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) the total number of Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and Community Forest Rights (CFR) titles distributed since the inception of the "Special Drive" in 2024 to clear the backlog of claims; (b) the impact of the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) in increasing the "Value Addition" of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) and the resultant growth in the average annual income of tribal Self Help Groups (SHGs); and (c) the success of the "MSP for MFP" scheme in protecting tribal gatherers from middle-men, specifically for high-value items like Mahua, Tamarind and Tendu leaves? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGA DAS UIKEY) (a): From November 2024 onwards till February 2026, a total of 41,095 Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and 8,439 Community Forest Rights (CFR) titles have been distributed under FRA. (b): TRIFED, on behalf of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing “Pradhan Mantri JanajatiyaVikas Mission (PMJVM)”, which provides livelihood generation for the tribal beneficiaries across the country. PMJVM has been designed through the merger of two existing schemes i.e., “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP” and “Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products/Produce”. The scheme is implemented through the State Nodal Departments (SNDs) and State Implementing Agencies (SIAs) in 25 states and 3 UTs across the country. As of now, under the PMJVM scheme, 4,162 VDVKs have been sanctioned, comprising 12,45,032 tribal members. Out of the total sanctioned VDVKs, 2,817 VDVKs have been reported to be operationalized, with reported sales of Rs.15829.88 lakh. The statewise details of VDVKs is at Annexure-1.Additionally, TRIFED has been also establishing PM JANMAN VDVKs on behalf of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya MahaAbhiyan (PM JANMAN) scheme through SNDs and SIAs across the country for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). As on date, 539 VDVKs have been sanctioned, comprising 45,958 members. Out of the total sanctioned VDVKs, 491 VDVKs have been reported to be operational with sales of Rs.532.42Lakh. The state wise details of PM JANMAN VDVK is at Annexure-2. Impact of VDVK program has benefited approximately 12,90,990 members since inception. Through this Yojana, many tribals have gained an understanding of the importance of value addition, packaging, and branding, and have been exposed to various business opportunities, showcasing their own brands. Few States have made recognizable progress by showcasing and establishing their own brand with VDVK Products eg. Shabari Naturals (Maharashtra), Trissam (Assam), Angiya (Nagaland), GCC (Andhra Pradesh), Adisha and TDDCOL (Odisha), Chattisgarh Herbals (Chattisgarh) & Van Sri (Kerala). However, many VDVKs are still in transition to become fully functional. (c): The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) implements the Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce (MSP for MFP) Scheme, under which a Revolving Fund is provided to State Governments to facilitate procurement operations. Through this mechanism, Minimum Support Price is ensured for tribal forest produce gatherers for 87 identified Minor Forest Produce (MFP) items, thereby protecting them from distress sales and exploitation by intermediaries. The list of MFPs/Items and their MSP rates notified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs under the scheme MSP for MFPs is at Annexure-3. Under the Revolving Fund component, an amount of Rs.32,215.54 lakh has been released to the States for procurement of 87 identified MFP items, against which the total procurement value reported by States stands at Rs.69,398.28 lakh. Major commodities procured include De-seeded Tamarind (Rs.1,805.71 lakh), Seeded Tamarind (Rs.23,159.75 lakh), and Mahua Flower (Rs.3,339.75 lakh), as reported by the States.Annexure-1 Annexure-1 referred to in reply to part (b) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3028 regarding “Forest Rights Act and livelihood security” to be answered on 18.03.2026: State wise details of VDVKs under Pradhan Mantri JanajatiyaVikas Mission (PMJVM) VDVK Details Sales Till Sl. No of VDVKs Date State/UT No. Operational till date (Rs. In No. of VDVKs Total No. of Lakhs) sanctioned Beneficiaries 1 Andhra Pradesh 415 123258 368 419.26 2 Arunachal Pradesh 106 32897 93 130.01 3 Assam 532 162469 359 1623.36 4 Chhattisgarh 139 41700 132 2819.6 Dadra Nagar Haveli and 5 1 302 1 0.54 Daman and Diu 6 Goa 10 3000 1 11 7 Gujarat 200 57968 31 16.8 8 Himachal Pradesh 4 1110 3 38.71 9 Jammu & Kashmir 100 29791 0 0 10 Jharkhand 146 43701 21 44.03 11 Karnataka 140 41748 69 113.03 12 Kerala 44 12038 39 83.24 13 Ladakh 10 3000 3 2.02 14 Madhya Pradesh 126 37860 121 353.48 15 Maharashtra 279 83850 65 412.77 16 Manipur 207 62,226 200 635.08 17 Meghalaya 169 50835 39 40.54 18 Mizoram 286 84268 251 411.68 19 Nagaland 347 104068 264 2926.77 20 Odisha 170 50094 152 2563.20 21 Rajasthan 505 152362 452 1749.08 22 Sikkim 80 23801 60 23.77 23 Tamil Nadu 8 2400 8 266.22 24 Telangana 17 5100 17 1014.43 25 Tripura 57 16116 50 94.92 26 Uttar Pradesh 25 7238 6 6.10 27 Uttarakhand 12 3605 12 30.24 28 West Bengal 27 8227 0 0 Total 4162 1,245,032 2817 15829.88Annexure-2 Annexure-2 referred to in reply to part (b) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3028 regarding “Forest Rights Act and livelihood security” to be answered on 18.03.2026: State wise details of VDVKs under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) VDVK Details Sl. Operational Sales in Lakhs (Till State / District VDVK No. Beneficiaries VDVKs date) Sanctioned 1 A &N 1 56 1 0.46 2 Andhra Pradesh 73 6,162 73 22.50 3 Chhattisgarh 16 2395 16 203.54 4 Gujarat 21 1,050 21 35.61 5 Jharkhand 35 2,876 35 17.13 6 Maharashtra 40 3,624 40 65.48 7 Manipur 2 600 2 0.92 8 Telangana 25 1,461 25 13.02 9 Tripura 30 2,550 30 12.18 10 Rajasthan 51 8,842 51 8.20 11 Karnataka 33 1,836 21 22.13 12 Kerala 7 537 7 0.97 Madhya 13 83 5,091 83 13.72 Pradesh 14 Odisha 66 5,244 49 43.31 15 Tamil Nadu 37 2,403 29 69 16 Uttar Pradesh 5 319 3 0.09 17 Uttarakhand 9 634 5 4.16 18 West Bengal 5 278 0 0 TOTAL 539 45958 491 532.42Annexure-3 Annexure-3 referred to in reply to part (c) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3028 regarding “Forest Rights Act and livelihood security” to be answered on 18.03.2026: List of MFPs/Items and their MSP rates notified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs under the scheme MSP For MFPs Rate List of New MCat SP for MFPs notifi ego ed by the Ministry ry of Tribal Affairs, GF-F OI vide Notificatio ore n dated 11/11/20 (i st/ n Rs. Per Kg.) MF P A- Agr Rate List of MSP Rate List of New icul for MFPs notifie MSP for MFPs not tur d by the Ministry ified by the Minist e Name of Mof Tribal Affairs, Applica S.No. ry of Tribal Affair P-P FPs GOI vide Notific bility s, GOI vide Notific roc ation dated 1/05/ ation dated 26/05/2 esse 20 (in Rs. Per K 0 (in Rs. Per Kg.) d g.) M- Me dici nal H- Ho rtic ult ure Tamarind ( with seeds) 1 36 F All India (Tamarindu s indica) Wild Hone 2 225 F All India y Gum Karay 3 a (Sterculia 114 F All India urenus) Karanj seed 4 (Pongamia 22 F All India pinnata) Sal seed (S 5 horearobust 20 F All India a) Mahua seed 6 (Madhucal 29 F All India ongifolia) Sal leaves ( 7 Shorearobu 35 F All India sta)Chironji po ds with see 8 126 F All India ds (Buchan anialanzan) Myrobalan 9 (Terminalia 15 F All India chebula) Rangeeni L 10 200 F All India ac Kusumi La 11 275 F All India c Kusum see 12 ds (Schleic 23 F All India heraoleosa) Neem seeds 13 (Azadiracht 27 F All India aindica) Puwad seed 14 s (Cassia to 16 F All India ra) Baheda (Te 15 rminalia bel 17 F All India lirica) Hill Broom Grass 16 (Thysanola 50 F All India ena maxim a) Dry Shikak ai Pods 17 50 F All India (Acacia con cinna) Bael pulp ( Dried) 18 30 F All India (Aegle mar melos) Nagarmoth 19 a (Cyperus 30 F All India rotundas) Shatavari R oots (Dried 20 ) (Asparagu 107 F All India s racemosu s) Gudmar / Madhunash 21 ini (Gymne 41 F All India masylvestre ) Kalmegh (Andrograp 22 35 F All India hispanicula ta)Tamarind ( De-seeded) 23 63 F All India (Tamarindu s indica) Guggul (ex 24 812 F All India udates) Mahua Flo wers (dried 25 ) 30 F All India (Madhucal ongifolia) Tejpatta (dr ied) (Cinnamom 26 40 F All India umtamala a nd Cinnam omum sp.) Jamun drie d seeds 27 42 F All India (Syzygium cumini) Dried Amla pulp (desee 28 ded) (Phyll 52 F All India anthusembl ica) Marking N ut 29 (Semecarp 9 F All India usanacardiu m) Soap Nut ( dried) (Sapi 30 14 F All India ndusemargi natus) Bhava seed / (Amaltas) 31 13 F All India (Cassia fist ula) Arjuna Bar 32 k (Terminal 21 F All India ia arjuna) Kokum (Dr 33 y) (Garcini 29 F All India a indica) Giloe (Tino 34 sporacordif 40 F All India olia) Kaunch see 35 d (Mucuna 21 F All India pruriens) Chirata (Sw 36 ertiachirayi 34 F All India ta)Vaybidding / 37 Vavding (E 94 F All India mbeliaribes ) Dhavaipho ol dried flo 38 wers (Woo 37 F All India dfordiaflob unda) Nux Vomic a 39 (Strychnos 42 F All India nux vomica ) Ban Tulsi L eaves (drie 40 d) (Ocimu 22 F All India mtenuifloru m) Kshirni (He 41 midesmusi 35 F All India ndicus) Bakul (drie d bark) 42 46 F All India (Mimusops elengii) Kutaj (drie d bark) (Holarrhen 43 31 F All India apubescens / H.aniidys enterical) Noni/Aal ( dried fruits) 44 17 F All India (Morindacit rifolia ) Sonapatha/ Syonak pod 45 21 F All India s (Oroxylu mindicum ) Chanothi se eds (Abrus 46 45 F All India precatorius ) Kalihari (dr ied tubers) 47 31 F All India (Gloriosa s uperba) Makoi (drie d fruits) 48 24 F All India (Solanum nigrum) Apang plan 49 t (Achyrant 28 F All India hesaspera)Sugandhma ntri roots/ t 50 ubers (Hom 38 F All India alomenaaro matica) Van Tulsi s eeds 51 16 F All India (Ocimumgr atissimum) Van Jeera (Vernoniaa 52 70 F All India nthelmintic a) Tamarind S eed 53 ( Tamarind 11 F All India us indica (S eeds) Bamboo Br ooms 54 (Thysanola 60 F All India ena maxim a) Dry Anola (Phyllanthu 55 semblica (D 60 F All India ry) KachriBahe da 56 20 P All India (Terminalia bellerica) KachriHarr a 57 23 P All India (Terminalia chebula) Seed lac 58 (Kerrialacc 677 FP All India a) Beetal nut r aw N.E.Stat 59 30 A (Areca cate es chu (Raw) Beetal nut Dry N.E.Stat 60 200 A P (Areca cate es chu (Dry) Mushroom (Dry) N.E.Stat 61 (Agaricusbi 300 A P es sporus( dry ) Black Rice N.E.Stat 62 (Oryza sati 100 A es va L) Johar Rice N.E.Stat 63 ( Oryza sati 50 A es va)King Chilli (Capsicum N.E.Stat 64 chinense Ja 300 A es cq) Mustard 6 N.E.Stat (Brassica ni 40 A 65 es gra) Raw Cashe w N.E.Stat 66 (Anacardiu 450 A es m occident ale (Raw) Cashew Nu t N.E.Stat 67 ( Anacardiu 800 A P es m occident ale (Nut) Ginger dry N.E.Stat 68 (Zingiber o 50 A P es fficinale) Perilla N.E.Stat 69 (Perilla frut 140 A es escens) Rosella(Hi N.E.Stat 70 biscus sabd 200 A es ariffa) Nutgall N.E.Stat 71 (Rhus chine 150 A es nsis) Zanthoxylu m Dried N.E.Stat 72 (Zanthoxyl 200 A es umarmatu m) Jack Fruit S eed N.E.Stat 73 (Artocarpus 45 A es heterophyll us(Seeds) Tassar Coc oon Reeling Cla ss Grade-I (Specificati on –When Rs 3200/ Avg. Shell Thousand number Weight 1.5 5 gram and Jharkha 74 above) F/H nd Un-Reeling Class Grad e-I (Specificati Rs 1500/ on –When Thousand number Avg. Shell Weight 1.4 0 gram and above)Cashes Ker nel (Anacar 75 90 F/P All India dium occid entale) Elephant A pple Dry ( N.E.Stat 76 120 F/H Dilleniaindi es ca) Bamboo Sh oot (Phyllo N.E.Stat 77 70 F stachys edu es lis) Malkangni Seed (Celas 78 100 F All India truspanicul atus wild) Odisha, Chhattis Mahul Lea garh, Ma ves 79 15 F dhya Pra (Bauhinia desh & vahlli) West Be ngal Nagod (Vit 80 20 F All India exnegundo) Gokhru (Tr All India 81 ibulusterres 60 F tris) Pipla / Uchi All India thi 82 (Dried berr 120 F y) (Piper pe dicellatum) Gamhar / G N.E.Stat amri (Dry b es 83 20 F ark) (Gmeli na arborea) Oroxylumi N.E.Stat ndicum es 84 (Dry bark ) 40 F (Oroxylumi ndicum) Wild Mush N.E.Stat room Dry ( es 85 400 F Agaricussp ) Shringraj ( F/ 86 Eclipta alba 18 All India M ) Tree Moss Karnata 87 (Bryophyte 350 F/P ka s) *****