• The Van Dhan Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED.  
• It seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products.
• The scheme will be implemented through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.

About TRIFED :

• The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987. It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• TRIFED has its Head Office located in New Delhi and has a network of 13 Regional Offices located at various places in the country.

Objectives :

• The ultimate objective of TRIFED is socio-economic development of tribal people in the country by way of marketing development of the tribal products such as metal craft, tribal textiles, pottery, tribal paintings and pottery on which the tribals depend heavily for a major portion of their income.
• TRIFED acts as a facilitator and service provider for tribes to sell their product.
• The approach by TRIFED aims to empower tribal people with knowledge, tools and pool of information so that they can undertake their operations in a more systematic and scientific manner.
• It also involves capacity building of the tribal people through sensitization, formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and imparting training to them for undertaking a particular activity.

Main activities to TRIFED include:

• Retail Marketing Development
• Minor Forest Produce Marketing Development
• Skill up-gradation & Capacity Building of ST Artisans and MFP Gatherers
• R&D Development/Intellectual Proprietary Rights (IPR) Activity