Beedi Leaf collectors in Sirpur get revenue share

Hyderabad: Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy on Monday distributed the net revenue generated from Beedi leaf sales to the Beedi leaf collectors in the Sirpur constituency.

The programme was held at Chintala Manepally in Sirpur Kagaznagar, and it witnessed the presence of MLAs Koneru Konappa and Atram Sakku, PccF (HoFF) RM Dobriyal, CCF Vinod Kumar, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad District Collector Hemant Bhorkade, District Forest Officer Ashish Singh, FDO Vijay Kumar, and a large number of Beedi leaf collectors and beneficiaries.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Indrakaran Reddy said that the Beedi Leaf Scheme was a social welfare programme that provides support to the poor tribal families during the lean summer season. He further mentioned that each family earns nearly Rs5,000/- to Rs10,000/- during each Beedi Leaf season, which lasts for almost two months every year. The Beedi Leaf collection season starts in April and ends in May, with nearly 75,000 Beedi Leaf collectors participating in the programme.

During the 2023 Beedi Leaf Season, 225 Beedi Leaf units in 19 districts were put up for sale, and nearly 2.27 lakh Standard Bags (SBs) of Beedi Leaves were put for sale. The collectors are paid for their efforts in collecting the leaves, and they also receive a share of the net revenue generated from the Beedi Leaf sales.

During the 2022 Beedi Leaf season, a sale value of Rs52.88 crore was realised under the scheme, and an amount of nearly Rs277.88 crore is being paid now as Beedi Leave net revenue to the Beedi Leaf collectors. The Minister said that an amount of Rs31.58 crore is being paid to the Beedi Leaf collectors of the Sirpur constituency on this occasion.

The Minister expressed his gratitude towards the Beedi leaf collectors for their hard work and dedication, which is instrumental in making the Beedi Leaf Scheme a success. He emphasised that the government is committed to supporting the tribal population and improving their standard of living. The beneficiaries thanked the government for their support and appreciated the efforts taken to ensure that they receive their fair share of the revenue generated from the Beedi leaf sales. (INN)