Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Say has given instructions to make cash payment of remuneration to tendu leaf collectors in Sukma, Bijapur and Narayanpur districts. In these districts, the branches of banks are far away, so keeping in mind the convenience of tendu leaf collectors, the Chief Minister has issued these instructions to the Forest and Climate Change Department. By setting up camps in the haat-bazaars of Sukma, Bijapur and Narayanpur districts, cash payment of remuneration will be made to tendu leaf collectors in the year 2024. In compliance with the instructions of Chief Minister Say, detailed guidelines in this regard have been issued by the department from the Ministry under the guidance of Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap. Apart from Sukma, Bijapur and Narayanpur districts, in other districts, the remuneration amount is paid to the tendu leaf collectors in their accounts. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests V. Srinivas Rao said that this has been stated in the instructions issued by the Forest and Climate Change Department.
All cash payment proceedings will be completed under the supervision and control of the District Collector. Which collectors will be eligible for cash payment will be determined by the Collector. Cash payment of each case will be done with the permission of the Collector. In each district, the District Collector and the Forest Divisional Officer and Managing Director, District Union, in mutual coordination, will organize a camp at a market or other suitable place within the proposed area and make cash payment to the concerned collectors by making proper entry in the tendu leaf collection card and receive an acknowledgement. Adequate publicity will be done before cash payment and a report will be submitted after doing complete videography of all the work related to cash payment. Under the guidance of the concerned District Collector, instructions have been given to issue Aadhar Cards to the collectors as per the requirement and to ensure necessary action for opening bank accounts during the above camp. For this, necessary support will be obtained from CSC, local bank etc. As per the bank account details received from the collectors, necessary registration in collector survey software, tendupatta payment software etc. will be ensured through District Union and CSC. Instructions have been given to complete the process of payment of remuneration amount to the collectors within 15 days.