TRIFED starts project to hone-up tribals' biz skills

New Delhi: In a major initiative aimed at transforming over 5 crore tribal entrepreneurs, the government has launched "Tech for Tribal" project. The initiative has been launched by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED) in association with IIT-Kanpur along with IIT-Roorkee, IIM Indore, Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS), and SRIJAN, Jaipur during the first phase of organising tribal entrepreneurship and skill development programme.

While talking to Millennium Post, TRIFED MD Pravir Krishna said, "The TRIFED received an overwhelming response from all leading higher education institutions in the country for strategising to infuse best in class training and capacity building for tribals to start their own business."

"The project has huge potential to make an impact over 3 lakh tribals. The TRIFED has drawn out a 5-year strategy for 10 times impact in tribal development," Krishna further

said.

"We are working towards greater convergence of various schemes under key ministries of the government of India, leading national institutions, social sector and most of all industry leaders and work towards this singular goal of promoting tribal produce in a big way," said Krishna, who has been working tirelessly to hone up the marketing skills of tribals of the country. Tech for Tribals is an initiative of TRIFED, which is supported by Ministry of MSME and it aims at capacity building and imparting entrepreneurship skills to tribal forest produce gatherers enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY). The trainees will undergo an over six-week programme comprising 120 sessions.

On the occasion, IIT Kanpur Director Prof Abhay Karandikar said, "The programme offers students and innovators to solve livelihood problems through micro-entrepreneurship development. We will establish a framework for long-term institutional support in fostering tribal-centric micro-entrepreneurship. All our students, start-ups at our Incubation Centre and alumni will have the opportunity to get directly involved in mentoring tribal entrepreneurs and help them build sustainable businesses in the districts they operate."

The TRIFED expects revenue of over Rs 1,000 crores by 1,200 odd Van Dhan Vikas Kendras roll-out their value addition activities, efficiently supported by the best in class expertise available in the country.