33 lakh tendu leaf collectors being economically strengthened:- Forest Minister Dr. Shah

November 2021

Forest Minister Dr. Kunwar Vijay Shah has said that 33 lakh tendu leafcollectors, mostly belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, are being financially strengthened by the State Minor Forest Produce Association through tendupatta collection in the state. These classes are being provided remuneration and bonus for tendu leaf collection. Of these, 44 per cent are women.

Forest Minister Dr. Shah said that 70 percent of the net income generated from the trade of nationalized minor forest produce in the state is spent as bonus to the tendu patta collectors, 15 percent for development and training etc. under the supervision of the Forest department and 15 percent in the implementation of basic amenities and welfare schemes on villages.

Payment of Rs 397 crore

Forest Minister Dr. Shah informed that last year, leaf collectors were given wages of Rs 397 crore for collection of 15.88 lakh standard bags of tendu patta. This year 16.60 lakh standard bags of tendu leaves have been collected. In the collection year 2018, out of the net profit collected and earned from the business of tendu leaves, an amount of Rs 282.47 crore has been paid as bonus.

Rate per standard bag increased

Forest Minister Dr. Shah informed that on the instructions of Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the collection wages have been fixed from Rs. 2 thousand per standard bag to Rs. 2 thousand 500 per standard bag. Arrangements have also been made to make cash payment to the collectors according to the quantity collected by them.