The economic conditions of the tribal community in particular and the poor and marginalised in general in Odisha are deteriorating day by day.
The minor forest produce (MFP) /non-timber forest produce (NTFP) which largely support them economically are either left unsold or go for distress sale due to various restrictions for the COVID-19 crisis.
This is the peak season for collection and harvest of MFP/NTFP. But the tribals cannot sell their forest produces due to COVID 19 restrictions. As per a Union Tribal Ministry communication, Rs 4,621.17 lakh is presently available with the Odisha Government under the Pradhan Mantri Ban Dhan Yojana (PMBDY) for procurement of MFP/NTFP. But procurement is affected due to COVID-19.
Social activist and Team Leader of the Foundation for Ecological Security Swapna Sarangi has urged the State Government to seriously come forward to rescue the tribal community at this juncture by assisting them in selling and disposing of the non-timber minor forest produce under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) , failing which it will lead to a crisis for economic deprivation of tribals.
The tribals in Odisha mostly are landless and primarily dependent on minor forest produces and its marketing for their livelihood. Almost 70 percent income of forest dwellers depends on collection and sale of MFP. But due to the utter incompetence of the concerned implementing agencies including TDCCOL, the Central support meant for MSP could not be utilised fully since long.
Lakhs of tribal people migrated to the urban and industrial areas, primarily to work in unorganized sectors. As COVID-19 destroys economies, in absence of job, home and food, these tribal migrant workers are all set to return. However, due to expensive and also nonavailability of testing facilities in remote rural areas, these migrant workers' health risk is more. Reverse migration, carrying the COVID 19 disease, can have devastating impact on indigenous communities, Sarangi cautioned.
While lakhs of tribal migrant workers have been stranded without home and food in urban areas , there family members who are at their home in rural areas have lost there traditional livelihood in this harvest season of minor forest produces. This has led to food crisis among the indigenous communities.
Purusottam Singh Thakur, a journalist-activist told, "Now most of the Hats", which are life line of the poor people are closed and the tribals could not sail there forest produces. The middle man could not come to the village to collct MFP. As such there is no cash flow and increasing malnutrition among tribal people. "
In this peck season of collecting MFP, the tribals could not sail there MFP due to lockdown. The State Government has closed village haats to avoid crowding making the tribals unable to sell their forest produce.
Restrictions of movement, lack of livelihood sources, and returning of migrant workers, have aggravated the scrisis.
Keeping in mind the issue, Arjun Munda, in a a letter to CM Naveen Patnaik stressed on utilising the available Central fund to procure MFP at short notice.