Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) (UPSC/RAS/PSI) Current Affairs {Economy}

Nodal Ministry- Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA)
Implementing Agency- Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)

Tribal Livelihood Anchor- India's 10.4 crore Scheduled Tribes (STs) heavily rely on forests, deriving 20% to 40% of their annual household income directly from Minor Forest Produce (MFP).
Addressing Market Failures- Forest gatherers historically sold raw produce (mahua, honey, lac, tendu leaves) to local middlemen at distress prices, earning far below the cost of their labor.
Umbrella Mission Vision- Launched in FY 2021–22, PMJVM transitions forest gatherers from subsistence collectors into community-owned value-adding entrepreneurs.
Geographical Coverage- Operates across tribal geographies in 25 States and 3 Union Territories, creating localized, forest-based enterprise ecosystems.
Eco-Friendly Economic Model- Promotes natural, sustainably harvested, and forest-born goods as India's distinctive offering against mass-manufactured plastics.
National Goal Alignment- Directly advances Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas and targets grassroots economic empowerment under the Viksit Bharat@2047 framework.

PESA Act, 1996- The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act vested tribal Gram Panchayats with ownership and governance rights over Minor Forest Produce.
Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006- Legally empowered traditional forest dwellers to gather, use, process, and sell non-timber forest produce without fear of eviction or dispossession.
Statutory Scope of MFP- FRA (2006) defined MFP to include all non-timber plant produce- bamboo, brushwood, stumps, cane, tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac, tendu leaves, roots, and tubers.
Price Floor Protection (2013–14)- Introduced the Mechanisms for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price (MSP) to protect gatherers from extreme price volatility.
Van Dhan Yojana Integration (2018)- Established the processing and enterprise arm via Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) to capture higher value-addition margins.
Unified Umbrella Architecture (2021–22)- PMJVM consolidated price support, processing infrastructure, capacity building, and institutional credit into a single coordinated mission.

Expanded Commodity Coverage- The Central Government has notified fixed Minimum Support Prices for 87 Minor Forest Produce items under the PMJVM umbrella.
Direct Procurement Mechanism- TRIFED purchases MFP directly from tribals at the notified MSP through State Forest Development Corporations and Tribal Development Cooperatives.
Procurement Footprint- Since 2013–14, State agencies have procured 2,67,954 metric tonnes of MFPs worth ₹693.98 crore under the price support mechanism.
High-Value Resins & Exudates Pricing- High-value forest commodities receive substantial floors, such as Guggul exudates (₹812/kg), Cashew Nut (₹800/kg), and Raw Cashew (₹450/kg).
Specialized Herbs & Bio-Produce Pricing- Notified MSP rates include Tree Moss/Bryophytes (₹350/kg), Wild Honey (₹225/kg), and Van Jeera (₹70/kg).
Everyday Essential Commodity Floors- Fixed base rates ensure stability for volume goods, including Bamboo Brooms (₹60/kg), Jack Fruit Seed (₹45/kg), Jamun Dried Seeds (₹42/kg), and Marking Nut (₹9/kg).

Grassroots SHG Aggregation- Mobilizes tribal gatherers into Self-Help Groups (SHGs), clustering 15 SHGs (approximately 300 gatherers) into a single Van Dhan Vikas Kendra.
Mandatory Tribal Quota- Requires that at least 60% of all members enrolled within each VDVK belong to Scheduled Tribe communities.
Processing Infrastructure & Tooling- Equips centers with primary processing tools (cutting/sieving equipment, decorticators, solar dryers, and packaging machines) tailored to local produce.
Capacity Building & Training- Conducts scientific harvesting and processing training for 30 members per batch, providing specialized trainee toolkits and raw materials.
Working Capital & Credit Links- Connects VDVK enterprises to institutional credit via commercial banks and the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC).
Scale of Ground Implementation- Sanctioned 4,172 VDVKs linking 12.48 lakh tribal members, with 2,911 VDVKs fully functional recording cumulative sales of ₹168 crore .

Modernization of Tribal Haats- Upgrades over 5,000 primary Haat Bazaars with permanent sheds, clean drinking water, shaded storage, and digital weighing balances.
Omni-Channel Retail Integration- Connects tribal products directly to consumers through Tribes India retail outlets, ONDC, Amazon, Flipkart, and the annual Aadi Mahotsav exhibitions.
Digital Intelligence & GI Tagging- Disseminates daily mandi rates and e-commerce analytics via TRIFED, while promoting Geographical Indication (GI) tags and asset geo-tagging.
Focus on Women's Economic Agency- Empowers tribal women who execute the vast majority of collection and primary processing by making them equity-holding business owners.
Leparada (Arunachal Pradesh) Model- The Nyigamane, Ho Yorbe, Medumhagdum VDVK organized 300 women SHG members to manufacture King Chilli (Bhut Jolokia) pickle, bamboo shoot pickle, turmeric powder, and fruit squashes.
Leparada Socio-Economic Impact- Generated over ₹11 lakh in revenue from 2022–23 onwards, ending reliance on seasonal agricultural labor and stopping distress distress migration.

Source: PIB