Chamba DC reviews progress of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras

A review meeting was recently held at the district headquarters in Chamba to assess the progress of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal and attended by Additional District Magistrate Amit Mehra.

TRIFED, Chandigarh, Regional Manager Shantanu Saharan and officials from the Tribal Development Department, Shimla, and Bharmour and Pangi Sub-Divisional Officers (Civil), along with the Bharmour DFO, participated in the meeting via video conferencing.

The discussions centred on the operational progress of VDVKs approved for the Bharmour, Holi and Pangi areas of Chamba district.

These centres are designed as common facilities to procure and add value to minor forest produce (MFP) locally available in these tribal regions.

Repaswal emphasised the need for prompt action and directed the Pangi Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) to prepare a detailed activity report similar to the one developed by the Bharmour SDM.

He urged SDMs of Bharmour and Pangi to work in better coordination with the TRIFED Regional Manager and the Tribal Development Department to expedite the processes.

Special focus was laid on initiating the procurement process and ensuring the availability of equipment necessary for harvesting and value addition of MFPs as per approved plans for these centres.