Odisha launches LABHA scheme

• The Odisha government announced the launch of LABHA (‘Laghu Bana Jatya Drabya Kraya’) Yojana, a 100% State-funded minimum support price (MSP) scheme for minor forest produce (MFP).
• The decision is likely to impact the State’s large tribal population, which numbers close to one crore or 23% of Odisha’s total population.
• From now on, the MSP of MFP will be determined every year by the State government.
• Under the scheme, a primary collector (a tribal person) will be able to sell the MFP, collected at the procurement centres by the Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation Limited of Odisha (TDCCOL), at the MSP.

FACTS

• Odisha is home to 62 distinct tribes, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG), showcasing one of the most diverse tribal landscapes in the country.
• It ranks as the third largest concentration of a tribal population, trailing behind Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.