Restrictions on collecting, carrying and transporting Mohful have now been lifted -Tradivals will be empowered- Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray

Public Relations Room (Chief Minister's Secretariat)
Mumbai, dt. 16: It should be possible to empower the tribals through Mohfuls. For this, the then Principal Secretary of the Forest Department Vikas Kharge agreed with the committee's recommendation. Regarding the changes in the State Excise Act, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had directed the officials of Forest, Tribal Development and State Excise to sit together with the Chief Secretary and decide on the changes to be made in the Act. Nana Patole, the then Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, had consistently pursued this. The Chief Minister also had a meeting with the then State Excise Minister Dilip Walse Patil.

 The Mohfula tree is an imaginary tree for the tribals. It contains a large amount of nutrients and nutritional value. The Kharge Committee had made various recommendations in the report, noting that the start of the moha flower processing industry would increase the income of the tribals and help them in raising their standard of living. It also recommended exemption of Mohfula from the Forest Department's transport license and repeal of the state excise department's limit on collection and storage of Mohfula for tribals. The decision to lift the ban will no longer require any permission, from collecting Mohful to transporting it.

FM3 license for collection of flowers, FM4 for purchase and FM5 for transportation will no longer be required. However, the ruling states that there will be restrictions on the import of Mohfuls from foreign countries. However, FM7 license will be required for export. However, the government has restricted the issuance of new FM7 licenses for storage, sale and trade. A private person can keep a quota of flowers up to a maximum of 500 quintals. FM2 license has to be sanctioned for the trade of Mohful. Only tribal development organizations, women's self-help groups will get it. Provision has also been made for punitive and criminal action to ensure that mohaphulas are not misused while granting licenses.