Karnataka and West Bengal to be part of tribal plan alomg with 12 states already covered

NEW DELHI: The BJP-led central government is all set to introduce minimum support price for minor forest produce in Congress-ruled Karnataka and election-bound West Bengal. An initiative of the previous Congress-led UPA government, conceived as a welfare programme to cover about 100 million tribals, the benefit will be extended to include more forest products beyond the 12 that have been identified.

In a bid to reach out to the tribals, considered a sizeable vote bank, the Centre is planning to extend the scope of the minimum support price (MSP) scheme for minor forest produce beyond the 10 tribal-dominated states.

The measure has been introduced in Schedule V area states – Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Telangana. While Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are dragging their feet over introduction of the scheme, the Centre is exploring the possibility of extending the scheme beyond the 10 states. Confirming the development, a senior tribal affairs ministry official told ET, “Karnataka and West Bengal are two states where this scheme will be extended.”



The government has taken the decision on the basis of tribal population, officials said.

The choice of the two states is nonetheless politically significant. Assembly elections are due next year in West Bengal, where the BJP has been trying to gain a foothold and increasing its vote share consistently in successive by-elections. Karnataka, on the other hand, remains one of the few states where the Congress is in power and the BJP is trying to work towards regaining control.

The scheme envisages fixation of MSP for 12 products classified as minor forest produce (MFP). – tendu, bamboo, mahuwa seed, sal leaf, sal seed, lac, chironjee (seed), wild honey, myrobalan (harad), tamarind, gums and karanj. State agencies put up weighing scales at village haats and buy directly from the tribals and forest dwellers.