Chhattisgarh government launches portal to benefit tribal tin collectors

On August 31, 2026, the government of Chhattisgarh launched a new portal called Tribal Incentives on Natural Resources (TIN) to ensure fair and transparent pricing for tin ore collected by tribal communities in the Bastar district. Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Limited (CMDC) stated that all tin ore in India is located within Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, either directly mined by CMDC or collected through tribal cooperatives.

The new digital platform will streamline the entire process, from registration and quality testing to price determination and payment, creating a transparent system for tin procurement. By linking the tin price to the London Metal Exchange (LME), the portal ensures that payments better reflect international market prices. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) will facilitate swift, direct payments to beneficiaries' bank accounts, minimizing reliance on intermediaries, reducing delays, and ensuring that a larger share of the value reaches tribal families.

Beneficiaries will undergo digital registration, undergo tin quality testing, and transactions will be recorded online. QR-based verification, banking integration, and SMS alerts will enable collectors to monitor purchase quantities, prices determined, and payment statuses. CMDC currently operates six procurement centers in Bastar division, with plans to add three more in Bastar, Dantewada, and Sukma to facilitate easier sales for remote collectors.

In 2024-25, CMDC purchased 8,707.2 kg of tin ore and paid ₹90.82 lakh to tribal beneficiaries, increasing to 20,895.335 kg and ₹3.81 crore in 2025-26. CMDC Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai emphasized that TIN Portal is a "Mineral-to-Livelihood" initiative aimed at directly linking economic value from Bastar's natural resources to the income and livelihoods of tribal families.