Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai to Launch Statewide ‘Charan Paduka Yojana’ on June 21

Distribution to Begin from Tapkara in Jashpur District
Charan Padukas to be Given to Tendupatta Collector Families

Raipur : Fulfilling yet another promise made by the Chhattisgarh Government, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai will launch the statewide Charan Paduka Yojana on June 21 in a grand event at Tapkara in Jashpur district. On this occasion, he will personally distribute Charan Padukas (footwear) to women from tendupatta (tendu leaf) collector families.

This initiative marks the revival of a scheme that had been discontinued by the previous government. Reintroduced by the current administration, the scheme is aimed at restoring dignity and providing comfort to those working in one of the state’s most labor-intensive forest-based livelihoods. The government has approved a budget of ₹40 crore for the implementation of this scheme, which will benefit 12.4 lakh women from tendupatta collector families through free distribution of footwear.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated, “Our government is committed to delivering justice and services to the last person in the line. Tendupatta collectors play a vital role in the forest-based economy of the state. The Charan Paduka Yojana is not just about distributing footwear, it symbolizes respect, security, and dignity for the collector families.”

He emphasized that this move is a concrete demonstration of the government’s concern for the needs and well-being of tendupatta collectors, especially women who often work under harsh and challenging geographical conditions.

₹745 Crore Worth of Tendupatta Purchased

The tendupatta collection season in Chhattisgarh began in the third week of April this year and has now been successfully completed. The collection was organized across 10,631 procurement centers (phads) through 902 primary forest produce cooperative societies.

Despite setbacks due to untimely rain, storms, and hailstorms, over 11.4 lakh collector families worked diligently and managed to collect and sell 13.54 lakh standard bags of tendupatta. The total purchase value of this collected produce amounts to ₹745 crore.

The payment is being made directly to the collectors through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system into their bank accounts. So far, more than ₹300 crore has already been transferred directly to the beneficiaries, with the remaining amount being processed.

The launch of the Charan Paduka Yojana on June 21 will thus stand as a landmark step in upholding the dignity of tribal and forest-dwelling communities while delivering on the government’s pre-election commitments.