Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday, June 21, 2026, visited the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) Noodle Processing Unit at Jang in Tawang district, meeting the women behind the initiative and observing the noodle-making process firsthand. The unit, run by local Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM), converts traditional tribal food knowledge into a marketable product under the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.

Context

The Jang unit is one of several Van Dhan Vikas Kendras established in Arunachal Pradesh to provide tribal communities with infrastructure for value addition and local enterprise. CM Khandu described the initiative as 'exactly the kind of enterprise we need more of,' underlining the state government's push to scale such models across tribal blocks. He added that 'these are not just noodles; they are the authentic taste of Tawang, made by our people, for everyone.'

The Women SHGs involved draw on generations of traditional knowledge to produce noodles that carry a distinct regional identity, positioning them as both a livelihood tool and a cultural product. The Chief Minister's visit signals continued political backing for the unit and its expansion ambitions.

Policy Backdrop

The Van Dhan Vikas Yojana was launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2018 in partnership with TRIFED to set up value-addition and marketing centres for minor forest produce in tribal districts across India. The scheme has since been extended to cover processed food products, herbal items, and craft goods, with Northeast India emerging as a key focus zone.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) — implemented through ArSRLM — has been active since 2012, building women's SHG networks in tribal blocks. The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, announced in May 2020, added a 'Vocal for Local' dimension that explicitly encouraged the branding and marketing of such tribal products at national and international levels.

Similar VDVK units processing millets, medicinal herbs, and forest produce have been rolled out across central and Northeast Indian tribal belts since 2018, creating a replicable template that the Jang noodle unit now exemplifies in a high-altitude border district.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the women members of the SHGs in and around Jang, who gain structured income, skill development, and access to formal market linkages through the VDVK platform. For the broader Tawang district — a strategically sensitive border zone — such enterprises also carry economic resilience significance by anchoring livelihoods locally.

Tribal communities in the region stand to benefit from the preservation and commercialisation of food heritage that might otherwise remain confined to household use. Consumers across India gain access to an authentic, region-specific product aligned with the growing demand for indigenous and ethnic food brands.

What's Next

The 2025-26 tribal affairs budget includes allocations for additional VDVK units, and state officials are expected to review ArSRLM marketing linkages to ensure products from units like the one in Jang reach wider retail and e-commerce channels. CM Khandu's visit is likely to accelerate administrative attention to pending approvals and supply-chain support for the unit.

If the Jang model demonstrates sustained output and profitability, it could serve as a blueprint for replication in other high-altitude tribal blocks of Arunachal Pradesh, reinforcing the state's identity as a source of distinctive, women-produced tribal goods in the national marketplace.