Centre eases norms; allows harvesting, collection of minor forest produce

Provides additional liquidity for rural banks; may hike MSP of forest produce to push cash

In another set of relaxations in the guidelines to the rural sector amid the Covid-19 crisis, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday allowed collection, harvesting, and processing of minor forest produce that includes non-timber items such as tendu and sal, among others. The move is expected to benefit scheduled tribes and other forest dwellers in tribal areas.

The relaxation came close on the heels of reports that the government is expected to increase the minimum support price (MSP) of these minor forest produce by 16-30 per cent. The MSP and procurement of minor forest produce are done by the tribal affairs ministry. The report said not only will the MSP of existing minor forest produce increase but even new products that include cardamom, turmeric, ginger, van tulsi, van jeera and raw bamboo may be added to the basket.

This will be done so that cash reaches the vulnerable tribal communities during the lockdown.
 

That apart, the MHA guidelines have also allowed other major rural activities such as bamboo, cocoa, arecanut and spices plantation, all of which have come to a halt, largely in southern India.  The Centre has allowed harvesting, processing, packaging, sale and marketing of these products.

That apart, cooperative credit societies that provide vital finance to farmers ahead of the kharif sowing season in June to purchase seeds, fertilisers and other vital inputs, have also been allowed to function with bare minimum staff. The MHA, in continuation of its order issued a few days ago, has also allowed activities in rural areas such as water supply and sanitation, laying and erection of power transmission lines and laying of telecom optical fibre and cable. 

These will help in restarting central schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission. On Wednesday, the Centre had granted a series of relaxations in the second phase of the nationwide lockdown to farm and non-farm sectors, including allowing all sorts of farming activities.

In case of MGNREGA, which is one of the biggest sources of rural employment for landless labourers, employing on an average 50-60 million households in rural India, the central government has allowed all sorts of works with strict social distancing norms.  However, priority has to be given to water conservation and irrigation activities. This assumes significance in view of the forthcoming monsoon season.

That apart, it has also allowed dovetailing of existing central and state government schemes on irrigation and water conservation with MGNREGA to create more employment opportunities. The rural areas are seeing a massive influx of migrants in the last few weeks.

According to some estimates, 500,000-600,000 urban migrants have shifted to rural areas after the lockdown.

That apart, the MHA guidelines have also allowed industrial activity in rural areas, that is, those which fall outside the municipal limits along with construction activities and working of brick kilns.  Construction of rural roads, buildings and other activities have also been permitted under the revised set of relaxations along with other work in MSMEs.

However, experts said much of this will depend on how states respond because in case of schemes like MGNREGA, it is the states which have to show initiative. The non-farm sector in rural India contributed bulk of the income in agriculture household, according to the NABARD financial inclusion survey of 2016-17.