New Delhi/Jalandhar, April 24, 2015: Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) functioning under the Administrative Control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, has bagged the "National Award for Excellence in Training for the Year 2015" in a contest organized by the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. This was revealed here today by the Managing Director TRIFED, K. B. S. Sidhu under whose stewardship TRIFED exhibited a 5-fold increase in the number of trainees.
TRIFED's entry captioned "Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness of Skill Development and Capacity Building of Minor Forest Produce Gatherers Training Programmes" was adjudged second, behind the high-tech ISRO, among the 50 contenders from all over the country by an independent jury, which included a nominee of the UNDP.
TRIFED is currently headed by KBS Sidhu, a Punjab cadre IAS officer of 1984 batch, in the rank and status of an Additional Secretary to GOI, currently on Central Deputation. Apart from the exponential increase in the number of tribal youth trained, the outcomes were also found to be sustainable and lead to a lasting increase in their incomes.
TRIFED, a multi-State Cooperative Entity has been working for the Socio-Economic Development of Tribal People in the Country by way of procurement of and Marketing of the Tribal Products, which include the Minor Forest Produce, Tribal Handicrafts, Organic and Natural Products etc, with a view to ensure better remunerative price for their products to enhance their standard of living and protect them from exploitation by middlemen and unscrupulous traders.
The MD also elaborated that Minor Forest produce (MFP) is a major source of livelihood for forest dwellers as they spend most of their time in its collection and derive upto 40% of their income from its collection. Moreover it offers to create 10 Million workdays with strong linkage to women beneficiaries. But MFP trade is highly unorganized and tribals use traditional methods for collection, harvesting, storage and marketing. TRIFED as part of its mandate provides skill development and capacity building training to tribals so that they can improve their income by improving the quality and quantity of the produce collected without destroying the trees.
Sidhu further stated that TRIFED has also been focusing attention towards the Procurement of Tribal Art, Crafts, Artifacts and Marketing through “TRIBES INDIA” the Chain of Retail Marketing Outlets across the country. In order to ensure uninterrupted inflow of the quality products to meet the requirement of its growing customers, TRIFED has been successful in empowering the Tribal Artisans to attain Excellency in making their products more and more attractive. / (SK Vyas, Jalandhar)
Date:
Saturday, April 25, 2015