“Every promise of Modi’s guarantee is being fulfilled” – CM Vishnu Dev Sai.

Raipur : The work of collecting tendu leaves has started in Chhattisgarh. Tendu leaf collection and storage work is in full swing through 31 District Forest Produce Cooperative Unions and 902 Primary Forest Produce Cooperative Societies of the state. State Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai has expressed happiness over this and has described it as bringing positive change in the lives of tendu leaf collectors.

Shri Sai said that we have started purchasing green gold tendu leaves in the state. The collection work of which will continue till the first week of June. As per the promise made in Modi’s guarantee, our government is purchasing tendu leaves at the rate of Rs 5500 per standard bag. This will bring a revolutionary change in the lives of 12.5 lakh tendu leaf collecting families of the state, most of which are tribal families. He said that our government has guaranteed to give Rs 5500 per standard bag along with the dividend amount to the collector families. Along with this, our government will also provide scholarship to the children of collector families.

It is noteworthy that under the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association, the collection of tendu leaves has been started from the last week of April 2024. A target of 16.72 lakh standard bags has been set for collection. Till May 13, 2024, 7.82 lakh standard bags have been collected against the said target, which is 45.19 percent of the set target. Rs. 12.50 lakh collector families engaged in tendu leaf collection work. It is possible to get a payment of Rs 900 crore for this collection at the rate of Rs 5500 per standard bag.

Till now a total payment of Rs 275.77 lakh has been made online. It is noteworthy that with the aim of bringing transparency in payments, a software for online payment has been developed by the Government. Through which the payment made will directly reach the collectors’ account.