Contents
- Income generation activities for tribals
- EPFO settles over 35lakh claims during lockdown
INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES FOR TRIBALS
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy
Why in news?
- TRIFED under the aegis of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had advised the State Governments to plan the effective implementation of (Minimum Support Price Scheme) MSP for (Minor Forest Produce) MFP by leveraging funds under Article 275 (I) grants to ensure both immediate income generation in the short term and sustained livelihoods by supporting Van Dhan value addition activities.
- It has been observed that this advice has been met with tremendous positive response.
Details
- Thetimely announcement of the MSP measures and the revisions in the MSPs by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and these concerted efforts of TRIFED have resulted in the tribals getting a higher value realization in the market, at rates which are even higher than MSP.
- 6 states have transferred funds to (Van Dhan Vikas Kendra) VDVKs for the procurement of MFPs under the Scheme
Article 275(1)
- There is a provision under the Article 275 (1) of the Constitutions for improvement of rural infrastructure in tribal areas.
- Under Article 275 Parliament may by law provide funds to states yearly as grants in aid of the revenues of such States that it deems necessary, they require assistance, and these funds shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.
What is Minor Forest Produce?
- Minor forest produce includes non-timber items such as bamboo and other grasses, edible or useful roots, seeds, fruits, flowers and plants.
- A number of people from scheduled tribes and other forest dwelling communities depend on the collection and sale of such items for their livelihood.
What is Minor Forest Produce?
- Minor forest produce includes non-timber items such as bamboo and other grasses, edible or useful roots, seeds, fruits, flowers and plants.
- A number of people from scheduled tribes and other forest dwelling communities depend on the collection and sale of such items for their livelihood.
TRIFED
- TRIFED is The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India was established in 1987.
- The basic objective of the TRIFED is to provide good price of the ‘Minor Forest Produce (MFP) collected by the tribes of the country.
- TRIFED is a national level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Van Dhan Scheme
- The Van Dhan Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED.
- It was launched in 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products.
- The scheme will be implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
- At State level, the State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at grassroot level.
- Locally the Kendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster.
EPFO SETTLES OVER 35 LAKH CLAIMS DURING LOCKDOWN
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy
Why in news?
Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) espite the lockdown restrictions EPFO settled more than 35 lakh claims.
More than 74% beneficiaries are low wage earners.
What is Employee Provident Fund (EPF)?
- If you are a salaried employee in India, you would know that every month a certain amount of money is deducted from your salary as PF (provident fund).
- Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is a retirement savings scheme that the government of India has mandated for all salaried employees.
- EPF is the main scheme under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
- The funds deducted from your salary as PF goes to your PF account, which is maintained by the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
- All organizations in India that have more than 20 employees, as per law, is mandated to register with EPFO.
- In simple words, it is a savings platform provided by the government to help the employees build a corpus for post-retirement life.
Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
- EPFO is a Statutory Body, formed by the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
- EPFO is under Union Ministry of Labour & Employment.
- The EPFO has the dual role of being the enforcement agency to oversee the implementation of the EPF & MP Act and as a service provider for the covered beneficiaries throughout the country.
- EPFO assists the Central Board in administering a compulsory contributory Provident Fund Scheme, a Pension Scheme and an Insurance Scheme for the workforce engaged in the organized sector in India.
- It is also the nodal agency for implementing Bilateral Social Security Agreements with other countries on a reciprocal basis.
- The schemes cover Indian workers as well as International workers (for countries with which bilateral agreements have been signed.
- The EPFO’s apex decision making body is the Central Boad of Trustees (CBT).
