Bhubaneswar: In an attempt to further boost social and economic development of workers engaged in Kendu Leaf trade, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced to provide Rs 222 crore bonus and incentives to the Kendu Leaf pluckers and workers for 2018 harvest year.
The Chief Minister made this announcement while chairing a meeting of Kendu Leaf Development Board at the Secretariat here today.
Kendu Leaf trade plays an instrumental role in the overall development of the State. People belonging to the tribal community and economically weaker sections are working in the trade. The financial incentives will help in their social and economic development, Naveen said.
He further said that the profits accrued from Kendu Leaf trade will be used for the development of the tribal community and Kendu Leaf pluckers have been accepted as partners.
Currently, there are nearly 8,52,000 Kendu Leaf pluckers, 20,650 binding workers, and 17,860 casual workers engaged in Kendu Leaf trade in Odisha, which is generating one crore working day for them in a year, the meeting revealed.
Notably, the Odisha Government has introduced a slew of welfare programmes for the development of Kendu Leaf pluckers, binding workers and casual workers. Some of them include uniforms and slippers for pluckers, mosquito nets and blankets for workers, marriage aids for the girls of pluckers and workers, compensation for death and permanent damage and scholarships for the children of the workers.