New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Low demand of tribal products in the market, delayed utilisation of funds by state Implementing Agencies, and market linkages are the key challenges faced by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.

TRIFED, a national-level apex organisation under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, received a financial assistance of Rs 111.70 crore in 2024-25, said Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey in a reply.

Its main goal is to improve the socio-economic well-being of tribal communities by facilitating the marketing of their products.

He informed the House that the review of schemes and programmes implemented by TRIFED is a routine process which is undertaken from time to time.

Claiming that no third-party review of the schemes implemented through TRIFED has been conducted recently, the MoS said that at present, the Ministry does not have any plan for the restructuring of TRIFED.

So far, TRIFED has sanctioned 4130 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) under Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) scheme, associating 12,35,308 beneficiaries and 531 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) VDVKs under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adiwasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), associating 45,480 beneficiaries, he said.

The MoS said all these VDVKs have reported sales of tribal products amounting to Rs 129.86 crores till date.

Besides, TRIFED has undertaken procurement worth Rs 97.18 crore from its empanelled tribal artisans/SHGs in the last five years for marketing through its Tribes India outlets and multiple eCommerce platforms, he said.

There are generally no delays/gaps in procurement, marketing or disbursement of payments to tribal artisans/suppliers, he said, replying to the questions.

The MoS VDVKs set up under PM-JANMAN and PMJVM take care of promotional activities for the livelihood of PVTGs and other tribal communities located in remote areas, as well as Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected tribal areas.

He was replying to questions asked by Vijaya Kumar Alias Vijayavasanth, Suresh Kumar Shetkar and Manickamtagore B.

–IANS

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