The Union Government will introduce minimum support price (MSP) for the minor forest produce sold by tribal people, according to Prakash Javdekar, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest.

Addressing presspersons in Mangaluru on Thursday, he said that for the first time after independence tribal people will get minimum support price for their forest produce.

Terming it as a big revolution, he said it was completely a market of exploitation. “We are converting it into a system of MSP where tribal people will be given justice,” he said.

To a query on the demands by some State governments to relax CRZ (coastal regulation zone) norms, he said the country has a coastline of around 7,500 km, including those of islands. The country should take care of coastline, marine ecology, mangroves, fishing and also allow development in a sustainable manner.

Stating that a major review has been done in this matter, he said after some more discussions and inputs the government will take a final call in the next two or three months.

Terming Western Ghats as the national heritage, he said there is a need to protect this region. In its report, the Kasturirangan committee has suggested the State governments to go to each village and ask villagers about the kind of developmental activities they want, the activities they want to ban, and to regulate.

The Centre has asked the seven States coming under Western Ghats to submit a report on this. Kerala has already submitted the report. Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat will give their reports in 15 days, he said, adding that Karnataka is yet to submit its report.

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