Question : Production of Tendu Leaves

(a) whether the Government has any data of the production of Tendu leaves during the last five years in different Tendu leaves producing States and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of the various qualities of Tendu leaves produced across the States and the details of the average revenue from last five year’s Tendu leaves sale;
(c) the details of common mechanism to regulate the buying and selling of Tendu leaves from pluckers as they rely on this for their livelihoods;
(d) the details of the involvement of Maoist rebel groups in purchase and sale of Tendu leaves in some States; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government to discredit the beedi industry in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)& (b) The collection of Tendu leaves during the last five years in major Tendu leaves producing States and revenue earned for last five years are given in Annexure. The quality of Tendu leaves varies according to climatic, edaphic and other local conditions. The procedure of collection and storage of the leaves also affects their quality.

(c)The Tendu leaves are collected by the collectors and sold to the Primary Co-operative Societies/Forest Development Corporations on the rate specified by the Government per standard bag. Minor Forest Produce Co-operative Federations / Forest Development Corporations conduct tender for the advance sale of Tendu leaves. Apart from the money given per standard bag to the pluckers, most of the profit generated through the sale is distributed among the pluckers as bonus amount. However, the procedure varies from State to State depending upon local conditions.

(d) & (e) As informed by the State Forest Departments the involvement of Maoist rebel groups has never been reported in purchase and sale of the Tendu leaves. Therefore, intervention of Central Government is not required.

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