Our government is trying to increase the income of tribal society by strengthening forest-based livelihood: Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai

Chief Minister Sai addressed the workshop on forest-based livelihood opportunities for tribal communities

Joint initiative of NITI Aayog and Government on prosperity from forest produce: Emphasis on proper use of forest resources and employment generation

Raipur 28 March 2025: There is a deep relationship between tribal society and forests and both are being protected and enhanced as complementary to each other. Tribal society has developed generation after generation in the lap of nature. This workshop will pave the way for the progress of tribals by keeping the coexistence of tribals and forests at the center. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai was addressing the workshop organized under the joint aegis of NITI Aayog and Forest and Climate Change Department on the subject of forest-based livelihood opportunities for tribal communities in Nava Raipur today. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai welcomed all the intellectuals, subject experts and officials in the workshop. He said that it is the responsibility of all of us to provide proper livelihood opportunities to the tribal society. Chief Minister Sai said that 32 percent of Chhattisgarh is inhabited by tribal community and 44 percent of the area is covered by forest. Chief Minister Sai said that in the last 35 years of my public life I have closely seen the struggle and suffering of the tribal community and special backward tribes of the state. He said that our former Prime Minister respected Atal Bihari Vajpayee understood the plight of the tribals of Chhattisgarh and Chhattisgarh came into existence as a new tribal dominated state. Sai said that Atal Ji also formed a separate ministry for the welfare of the tribals and the amount sent by the Central Government for the welfare of the tribals was utilized properly. It was due to the efforts of Atal Ji that new dimensions of development were established in Chhattisgarh.

Chief Minister Sai said that with the aim that no one should remain hungry in the state, former Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh implemented the PDS system on a large scale in the state and made food grains available to the people at cheap rates. He started the purchase of forest produce at the support price, which worked to strengthen the tribals economically. Chief Minister Sai said that there is sufficient quantity of minor forest produce in Chhattisgarh. A total of 67 types of minor forest produce are being collected, processed and sold through women self-help groups. The sisters of the self-help group are becoming financially strong by taking advantage of the encouraging policies related to forest produce by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chief Minister Sai specially thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the PM-Janman Yojana and Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, especially run for the livelihood and upliftment of the weaker tribal group. He said that Scheduled Tribe dominated villages are being benefited by these schemes. On this occasion, Sai shared information about various schemes run by the Chhattisgarh government for the upliftment of tribal communities. Chief Minister Sai said that this joint workshop of NITI Aayog and Forest Department will help in connecting the tribal society with technology and innovation as well as strengthening the economic condition. Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap said that a one-day workshop has been organized today on a relevant and important topic in collaboration with NITI Aayog. Forest Minister Kashyap said that the implementation of schemes run for the tribal community is now happening rapidly and the arrangements in the forest areas have now been strengthened. He talked about stressing on proper use of forest resources along with environmental balance and employment generation.

NITI Aayog Advisor Surendra Mehta, Principal Secretary Sonamni Bora and Forest Force Chief V Srinivas Rao shared their views in the workshop. On this occasion, APCCF Mrs. Shalini Raina, NITI Aayog Director Amit Verma, senior officials of Forest Department and intellectuals, subject experts and officials from other states including Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka were present. Chief Minister Sai observed forest produce based stalls Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai also observed stalls based on forest products in the Aranya Bhawan complex. The team of Leaf Plate Technology, Hyderabad presented a dinner set made from leaves to Chief Minister Sai. During this, B.R. Rao, who came from Bhopatlapatnam, Bijapur district, told Chief Minister Sai that he has been preserving the seeds of medicinal plants for the last 35 years. He has also been distributing seeds free of cost under his ‘From Pots to Jungle’ campaign. The Chief Minister appreciated the work of Rao and congratulated and wished him. Members of Amarwa Bamboo Processing Center of Balodabazar district presented a bouquet made of bamboo craft to the Chief Minister and gave information about the activities conducted at the center. Sai visited the stalls of Lac Producer Farmers Committee Kanker, Chhattisgarh Herbal and Jashpure FPC Jashpur and discussed with the members of the group.