Guwahati: Eighty-four Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Clusters (VDVKCs) under Prime Minister Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) received a revolving fund worth Rs 1.63 cr and a supporting fund of Rs 18 lakh at Guwahati's Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) on November 20. 

On the same day, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between Tezpur University (TU) and the IIE for technology transfer to produce a new product - Pomelo Marmalade - to be prepared by the Van Dhan Kendras and marketed under the TRISSAM ( Tribal Assam) brand name. A new range of millet products as well as a revamped trissam website, along with an e-commerce platform, were also launched.

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who distributed the funds in the presence of several dignitaries, also felicitated three "outstanding performing" Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. IIE director Lalit Sharma detailed how the IIE is implementing the PMJVM scheme and Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) scheme to benefit tribal women. It needs mention here that the IIE is an organisation under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

The revolving and supporting funds received by the VDVKCs will be utilized as working capital for the procurement of raw materials and other operational expenses.

The Prime Minister Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) is a scheme exclusively developed for forest dwellers collecting and processing naturally available forest produce to earn their livelihood. It is under the direct purview of the central government's Ministry of Tribal Affairs. "The main objective of the scheme is to provide better livelihood and socio-economic upliftment of tribal people, through value addition of Minor Forest Produces (MFPs)", an official has said.

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