one crore tribal individuals in the state, the Odisha cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, approved the Laghu Bana Jatya Drabya Kraya (LABHA) scheme during its meeting on Monday.
Under the LABHA scheme, which is fully state-funded, the government will annually determine the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for minor forest produce (MFP). This initiative is expected to eradicate the possibility of distress sales to middlemen, ensuring fair compensation for primary collectors (tribals) who can sell their minor forest produce at the MSP. Procurement centers managed by TDCCOL will play a pivotal role in facilitating this process.
The Chief Secretary, in a media briefing following the cabinet decision, highlighted that the implementation of LABHA would positively impact the lives of tribal communities and contribute to their empowerment.
Commission for Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Languages Approved
In another significant development, the Odisha state government also greenlit the establishment of the Commission for Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Languages of Scheduled Tribes. This commission aims to foster multilingual education, document and preserve tribal languages, promote their usage, and safeguard linguistic rights.
Under the Multilingual Education (MLE) program, all 21 recognized tribal languages in the state are included. The commission will actively work towards advocating for the inclusion of tribal languages such as Ho, Mundari, Kui, and Saora in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This pursuit involves engaging with the central government to ensure the recognition and protection of linguistic diversity among the scheduled tribes in Odisha.
