Details

The Indian government, through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, has a dedicated scheme to help tribal communities grow and sell their unique products. Introduced in 2014-15, the 'Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products/Produce' scheme aims to bring comprehensive support right from production to final sale.

What Is This Scheme?

This initiative merges two earlier schemes to provide a more robust framework. It focuses on empowering tribal individuals and communities by supporting them in developing their traditional and agricultural produce. The goal is to enhance product quality, ensure fair pricing, and create better market access, including exploring export opportunities.

Who Can Benefit From This Scheme?

The scheme is designed to assist various tribal cooperative bodies and government corporations that work directly with tribal producers. This includes organizations involved in product design, development, training, research, and marketing of tribal goods.

Why This Scheme Is Important

The scheme is crucial for preserving tribal heritage and improving the livelihoods of tribal populations. By providing institutional support, it helps in skill upgradation, value addition through processing, and creating strong market linkages. This ultimately leads to better income generation and economic self-reliance for tribal communities across India.

Objective

This scheme, launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2014-15, aims to boost the development and marketing of products made by tribal communities across India.

Benefits

Activities to be undertaken under the Scheme:

Market Intervention:The various aspects of marketing intervention which will be supported under this scheme are:-

fixation of equitable prices for existing products both manmade and natural;
Actual procurement by State agencies as a safety net program and not monopoly/nationalization.
Support during seasons of harvest when prices tend to get depressed;
Sharing of information on prices so that people can make informed and conscious decisions and thereby markets become efficient;
Selling of products by the State Agencies in urban areas and areas away from where they are produced to increase the demand for the products.
Grading of products,
Standardization,
Source certification/Patent etc.
Other promotional activities,

Training and Skill upgradation:

Training for improved production and higher-grade products
Training related to manmade products to improve quality
Diversion to high-value products
Development of improved quality and design.
Linkage with other departments such as agriculture, horticulture, khadi and village industries, handlooms, and handicrafts, etc. for augmentation of training, skill upgradation, and technological support.

R&D/IPR Activity

New product development through new usage
Development of new products per se
Development of new cost-effective processes for product development
Expansion of the market of the tribal products through R&D measures
The IPR regime would be to document traditional knowledge and craft for seeking benefits of royalty and protection against piracy
New technologies of harvesting, scientific harvesting practices, etc. are other measures of R&D
Documentation and preservation of tangible and intangible heritage for promoting tourism etc.

Supply Chain Infrastructure Development:

Setting up of efficient warehousing facilities, godowns, cold storages, etc. wherever necessary
Establishing processing industries for value addition.
Sharing of information on inputs with the producers/gatherers
Develop product-specific efficient warehousing both at the IA level and also at the village level
Training related to product-specific warehousing.

Trade Information System:

Capturing information about different tribal products related to the sources, types, potential, production, collection, etc.
Collection and dissemination of trade information about various aspects of tribal products/web-enabled service SMS etc.

In addition to the above, the following activities:

Creating brands or brands for tribal produce/products,
Developing product designs keeping in view the export market and support for exports.

Sources and references

Official Website

Eligibility Criteria

Support under this scheme is available to the following institutions:

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED).
State Tribal Development Cooperative Corporations.
State Forest Development Corporations (SFDCs).
Minor Forest Produce (Trading and Development) Federations (MFPTDFs).
Other institutions identified by the government for activities like product design, development, export processing, training of tribal producers, patenting, trademark registration, research, Geographical Indication (GI) certification, and other related activities.

How To Apply

The process for applying under this scheme involves the following steps:

Proposal Preparation: Implementing Agencies (IAs) are responsible for preparing a detailed proposal that includes an action plan and a clear breakdown of budgetary requirements.
Submission: These proposals must be submitted well in advance to the respective State Tribal/Welfare Department for review and further processing.

Official Address for Submissions (if applicable, refer to specific notification):

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India

Please refer to the latest official notifications for the exact submission portal or address, as this may vary.

Documents Required

Institutions applying for support under this scheme need to provide the following documents:

Registration certificate of the corporation, institution, or organization.
Details of the authorized share capital of the corporation.
Information on the paid-up share capital of the corporation.
Turnover details of the corporation for the last three financial years.
Projected turnover for the current financial year.
Profit and loss statements for the last three financial years.
Year-wise details of grants already received from the Central Government under this scheme, along with pending Utilization Certificates (UC).
Copies of annual reports and balance sheets for the last three years.
Any other documents as specifically requested by the Ministry.

FAQ’s

What is the main goal of this government scheme?

The primary aim of this scheme is to establish and strengthen institutions that can effectively support tribal communities in developing and marketing their unique products and produce.

Which government ministry is in charge of this program?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, is the implementing agency for this scheme.

When did this scheme start?

This initiative was launched in the financial year 2014-15.

What kind of financial assistance does the Ministry offer?

This is a Central Sector Scheme, meaning the Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides 100% Grant-in-aid directly to the Implementing Agencies.

Could you list the main activities supported by the scheme?

The scheme supports a range of activities including market intervention, training and skill development, research and development (R&D) with intellectual property rights (IPR) focus, building supply chain infrastructure, establishing trade information systems, creating brands, and developing products for export markets.

Who are the organizations that can apply for support?

Eligible organizations include TRIFED, State Tribal Development Cooperative Corporations, State Forest Development Corporations (SFDCs), Minor Forest Produce (Trading and Development) Federations (MFPTDFs), and other government-identified institutions involved in product design, development, export, training, and research for tribal products.

How should an eligible organization submit its proposal?

Implementing Agencies (IAs) need to prepare a detailed proposal with an action plan and budget, and then submit it to the relevant State Tribal/Welfare Department well before the deadline.

Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products/Produce 2026