31.12.25

Maharashtra’s First Tribal Women-Owned, Forest-Based Producer Company Formed in Nandurbar District

Women-led forest livelihoods have entered a new phase in Maharashtra with the formation of Tornadevi Jungle Producer Company Limited in the Dhadgaon block of Nandurbar district. Incorporated on 30 December 2025 under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, it is the first tribal women-owned, forest-based Producer Company (PC) in the state.

The company was established through collaboration between the District Administration of Nandurbar; the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE); the Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission (MSRLM); and Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM). The District Administration provided strategic direction, IoFE offered technical support in enterprise design and compliance, and MSRLM and MAVIM facilitated community mobilisation and field-level coordination.

Groundwork began in November 2025 with a meeting in Toranmal village to introduce the PC framework and identify prospective promoters and Board members. Discussions focused on Community Forest Rights, sustainable bamboo management, and the role of Community Forest Resource Management Committees (CFRMCs) in strengthening community-led forest governance.

Over the following two months, 110 tribal women were mobilised from 11 villages—Toranmal, Sindhidigar, Bhadal, Kelapani, Leghapani, Kotbandhni, Jhapi, Udadya, Velkhedi, Trishul and Nagziri. Through a transparent and participatory process, the women elected representatives to lead the company. Ten promoters completed their Digital Signature Certificate registrations to fulfil statutory requirements, demonstrating sustained engagement despite geographical and infrastructural constraints.

Community-Centred Enterprise Model

The PC will function as the formal commercial entity responsible for business operations and market transactions, while CFRMCs will remain the principal stakeholders. Under the agreed profit-sharing framework, 90 percent of net profits will be distributed to the CFRMCs, and 10 percent will be retained by the company for operational sustainability. This framework ensures community control over forest resources while institutionalising a transparent and accountable revenue-sharing system.

Having secured its Certificate of Incorporation, Permanent Account Number (PAN), Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN), and Udyam Registration Certificate, the company is now operationally prepared for its first bamboo sale in February 2026. The establishment of this PC marks an important step in advancing women’s leadership in natural resource governance in Maharashtra.