Govt engaging with e-commerce platforms to market products made by tribals: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi, Dec 21 (KNN) With the aim to boost production and marketing of forest based products made by the tribal communities, the government is engaging with e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Wednesday.

Briefing media about the steps being taken by the government for the welfare of tribals, Pradhan said “the government is taking steps to increase production of their produce, improve packaging, branding, marketing.”

The minister pointed out that the financial allocations under centrally sponsored schemes has also been increased significantly. It was increased to Rs 91,000 crore in 2022-23 from Rs 19,437 crore in 2014-15, he said, adding funds are being pumped to open Eklavya Vidyalaya in the country to strengthen education ecosystem for them.

The objective of these centres is to ensure the availability of primary processing and value addition for forest produce, to provide employment for tribal and increase their income.

Tribal population will also be benefitted from the promotion of millets under the International Year of Millets 2023, Pradhan added.

A National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) has also been set up by the government. The government is also working to provide all the basic facilities in villages having over 50 per cent tribal population.

Tribal community accounts for about 9 per cent of the country's total population.  (KNN Bureau)