Chhattisgarh: Tendu leaf scheme boosts rural incomes in Balrampur; ₹5,500 per standard bag paid directly to collectors
Balrampur, May 23
The Chhattisgarh government's Tendu leaf procurement scheme is emerging as a major source of livelihood support for forest-dependent communities in Chhattisgarh's Balrampur district, with the Forest Department directly purchasing collected leaves and transferring payments to beneficiaries' bank accounts.
Under the scheme, villagers engaged in tendu leaf collection are being paid ₹5,500 per "standard bag" of produce. A standard bag is defined as a lot comprising 1,000 bundles of tendu leaves, with each bundle containing around 50 leaves.
The payments are made directly into the bank accounts of collectors based on the quantity of leaves they gather and deposit at designated procurement centres.
To support smooth implementation, the district administration has set up 482 tendu leaf procurement centres across Balrampur, operating under 44 cooperative societies. These centres receive collected leaves, where Forest Department personnel also conduct quality checks, removing substandard leaves to ensure only high-quality produce is procured.
According to the scheme's beneficiaries, the collection process begins as early as 5:00 am, when villagers enter nearby forests to pluck tendu leaves. By afternoon, they return home to prepare bundles, and in the evening, they visit procurement centres to sell their produce.
In addition to assured procurement and direct payments, the scheme also provides life insurance coverage to tendu leaf collectors. The state government is further extending educational incentives for school-going children of beneficiaries, along with scholarships for meritorious students to promote access to quality education.
Furthermore, District Forest Divisional Officer Alok Bajpai said that around over one lakh tendu leaf collectors are currently benefiting from the scheme in the district.
He further informed that, given Balrampur's borders with three states, the department has established checkpoints across border areas to curb the illegal influx of tendu leaves.
"Continuous patrolling and enforcement action are also being carried out to prevent illicit transport and ensure that scheme benefits reach only genuine collectors within the district," he added.
Officials said the initiative has strengthened rural incomes and improved financial security among forest-based communities, while also promoting transparency in minor forest produce procurement.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see life insurance and education incentives included along with leaf procurement. Real development is when you don't just pay for labor but also protect your workers and their children's future. But I worry about the checkpoints - hope they don't harass genuine collectors from nearby areas.
Interesting approach. Similar to what we see with NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Produce) policies in Canada for indigenous communities. The education scholarships component is particularly smart - breaks the cycle of poverty. Though 5 AM starts sound tough. Hope collectors get proper gear and rest facilities.
While direct payments are great, we must ask - is ₹5,500 per 50 lakh leaves fair? That's just over 1 paisa per leaf! In Karnataka's model, collectors earn more through cooperative federations. Also, who monitors the quality checks? Sometimes officials reject good leaves arbitrarily. Need more transparency at procurement centers.
Yaar, this is real Atmanirbhar Bharat! Villagers earning without migrating to cities. 482 procurement centers across one district - that's proper planning. The border checkpoints for illegal influx make sense, but they should also ensure local collectors aren't blocked from selling in neighboring districts if rates are better.
Over one lakh collectors benefiting - that's massive for a district like Balrampur. Given the area's connectivity issues, setting up these centers must have been tough. Kudos to the Forest Department for making it work. But with elections around, I hope this doesn't become a publicity stunt and stays sustainable.
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