Chhattisgarh receives ten national-level awards

Central Chronicle News
Raipur, Aug 07: Chhattisgarh state has emerged as a model state in the field of minor forest produce collection. Acknowledging these achievements of the state, Government of India has conferred 10 awards on Chhattisgarh in various categories. The state has secured the top position in the country in six categories. In the same sequence, Mahua sanitizer and ‘Imli chaska’ manufactured in Chhattisgarh have been awarded in the category of new products and innovations. 12 Van Dhan Kendras of the state have received 15 state-level awards. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Mr. Arjun Munda conferred these awards upon Chhattisgarh in a virtual program organized in New Delhi today.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that Chhattisgarh has set a new record for procurement of maximum forest produce in the country. State Government’s efforts and initiatives have significantly improved the economic condition of the forest dwellers, by providing employment to a large number of people. In the last two years, Chhattisgarh Government has taken revolutionary decisions under the leadership of Chief Minister Mr. Baghel to transform the lives of forest dwellers and minor forest produce collectors. And today Chhattisgarh has become the top state in the country in terms of minor forest produce collection.
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED) has given away these National Awards, after evaluating the performances of the states under three categories i.e. Minimum Support Price, Van Dhan, Sales and Marketing. Chhattisgarh has secured the top position in the entired in six sub-categories. In the virtual award ceremony organized today, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Mr. Arjun Munda praised the self-help groups from Bastar and Jagdalpur, engaged in processing of forest produce. Mr. Munda motivated these women to further expand the processing work to enhance the production of processed goods and to create more employment opportunities. Mr. Munda also took note of the problems faced by self-help groups in the minor forest processing work. Mr. Praveer Krishna, Managing Director, TRIFED presented Mr. Munda with the cashews processed by women of Bakavand. He informed that the cashew nuts are being sold under the brand name of ‘Bastar Cashew’ in 140 centers of TRIFED across the country.
Under ‘Van Dhan Puraskar 2020-21’, Chhattisgarh has been awarded for including maximum number of new forest produce (52) under the Minimum Support Price scheme for minor forest produce, for procuring maximum minor forest produces from the funds sanctioned by Government of India ( worth Rs 180.51 crore). Chhattisgarh has received the first prize for procurement of minor forest produce worth maximum value (Rs 1173 crore) from the funds of Central and State Government, and for the maximum utilization of funds (Rs 127.09 crore) till year 2020-21. The state has also got the first prize for manufacturing maximum number of products (121) through value addition under Van Dhan Yojana and for maximum sale of the products (Rs 4.24 crore). In the same category, Chhattisgarh has won the third prize for completing maximum survey and for providing maximum training for Van Dhan Vikas Kendra clusters. Products such as Mahua sanitizer and Imli Chaska manufactured in the state have been awarded in the category of new product and innovation.