Jairam Ramesh for minimum support price for minor forest produce

In an effort to wean away tribals from the Maoists, the Environment Ministry is pushing for a minimum support price for minor forest produce like bamboo and tendu patta. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh is taking up the matter with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee .

A minimum support price (MSP) for minor forest produce (MFP) would help increase the earnings of the tribal population. At present, the more valuable items of minor forest produce, which includes bamboo and tendu patta can only be sold to state government bodies. While tribals can collect and utilise these minor forest products, the aggregation, processing, value addition and marketing of MFP is in the hands of local contractors, forest official . and forest produce marketing federations. The forest produce is procured from the tribals at very low prices fixed randomly by contractors. The local forest administration is seen to be complicit in this exploitation of the forest dwellers and tribals. A MSP would put an end to the widespread exploitation of tribals. Ramesh is of the view that since these areas fall within the purview Schedule V of the Constitution, the Centre has the power to step in and introduce MSP for minor forest produce.

Experts have pointed out that in the Dandakaranya forests stretching across eastern Maharashtra and south Chhattisgarh, one of the "confidence building" measures undertaken by the Maoists was negotiating "higher" price for the tribals with private contractors. Except the "higher" price was nowhere near the states' minimum wages. But the slight improvement in the earnings ensured that the tribals felt "indebted" to the Maoists. Delhi University's Nirmalangshu Mukherjee argues that the Maoists use the opportunity to work out a deal with the contractors, thereby securing a revenue stream for themselves. While MSP for the produce could help dent this steady revenue stream, it would be required to be administered.

Ramesh acknowledges that merely fixing MSP for minor forest produce will not change things. "The MSP for wheat and rice work because there is a FCI. A similar organisation for minor forest produce is required . The TRIFED could be with the requisite changes in the organsation, perform the same function," Ramesh said. A FCI like organisation, alongside the strict implementation of PESA, which would ensure that rights over MFP are assigned to gram sabhas, could do away with the role of middlemen, currently played by contractors, government controlled departments, and corporations. The minister said he would also take up this issue with the finance minister.

Keen to improve the standing of the forest administration with the tribal population, Ramesh is taking steps to refurbish the image of the forest official. A support price for minor forest produce is part of the slew of measures that have been suggested by the ministry. Other measures include such as amending the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to reduce harassment of forest dwellers, designating bamboo-a key subsistence product-as a minor forest produce, making the joint forest management committees subordinate to the gram sabhas or village assemblies. Through these efforts, Ramesh seeks to address the perception that the experience of the tribals with the forest administration, "the first representative of the state", could have contributed to fuelling support for Maoists in the forest-dominated districts.

In order to improve the interface between the state and tribals, the environment ministry has already eased norms for diversion of forest land for social infrastructure. District officials now take the decision to divert 2 hectares of forest land for setting up schools, dispensaries etc. Ramesh will soon take a decision on whether to increase this relaxation to 5 hectares for PMGSY roads to improve access.

The Cabinet has already approved amending the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to increase the limit to which fines for relatively minor offences can be compounded from 50 to 10,000. Aware that increasing the monetary limit to which offences can be compounded could lead harassment of tribals, the proposed amendment makes it mandatory for forest officials to consult and record the views of the gram sabha or village assembly, before deciding that the law had been violated. There has been some concern, that the amendment makes the gram sabha a consultative body. To address this, Ramesh plans to introduce a change in the proposed clause, making it mandatory for forest officials to go by the decision of the gram sabha.

Last month Ramesh wrote to state governments asking them to declare bamboo as a minor forest produce. The move is expected to address livelihood issues of forest dwellers and tribals for whom bamboo is a traditional source of subsistence.