Kendu Leaves Or Green Gold

Kendu Leaves Or Green Gold : Eight Gram Sabhas in Baipariguda, Koraput, await government approval to deregulate the trade of kendu leaves under the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

• About Kendu Leaves : A vital non-wood forest product, is similar to other nationalized products like bamboo and sal seed.

o It is primarily used for rolling bidis (local cigarettes).

o Major producing states include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, with Odisha being the third-largest producer.

• Legal Provisions and the Role of the FRA

o The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, recognizes tribal communities' rights over non-timber forest products like kendu leaves, allowing them to process, store, transport, and sell without paying royalties.

o The FRA supersedes state laws, such as the Odisha Kendu Leaf (Control of Trade) Act, which has historically restricted trade and hindered economic progress.

o Precedents from other districts (Nabarangpur, 2013; Kalahandi, 2017) show that deregulation boosts tribal incomes and economic outcomes.

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