By Rakesh Gupta: In a popular measure to woo the Kendu leaf pluckers, Naveen government on Monday deregulated the Kendu leaf trade in Nabarangpur district of Odisha. Now the people are free to sell Kendu leaves to anybody of their choice.

Nabrangpur has become the first district and Odisha first State in the country where kendu leaf trade has been de-regulated.

At a function marking de-control of kendu leaf trade held at Mandei ground at Nabrangpur, ST and SC Development Minister Lal Bihari Himirka said the government was committed to implement Forest Rights Act in the State and empower beneficiaries to take advantage of the forest produce.

According to the deregulation scheme, Forest departments will not control the Kendu leaf trade, instead, the Gram Sabha will now issue transit permit for its trade and transportation.

Addressing the function, Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Das said de-controlled of kendu leaf trade would be carried out through gram sabhas and palli sabhas. Mr. Das said monetary gains to be accrued from de-control of kendu leaf trade would directly benefit tribal people and panchayats could directly spend the amount on their development.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi opined that about 70,000 families of Nabarangpur district would be benefited socially and economically due to the de-regulation of Kendu leaf.

Welcoming the Govt’s decision, Nabarangpur MP Pradip Majhi said that Kendu leaf pluckers of Nabarangpur would definitely get benefit after the decontrol. However, he also urged the government to implement this scheme to entire state as soon as possible for the best interest of the forest-dependant people.

Apart from above dignitaries, Forest and Environment Minister Bijoyshree Routray, Panchayat Raj and Parliament affairs Minister Kalpataru Das, ZP Chairman Moti Ram Naik, MLAs including Manohar Randhari, Bhujabala Majhi, Subhash Gond and Disrict collector Yamini Sarangi graced the occasion.