The Maharashtra State Co-operative Tribal Development Corporation (TDC) was set up in 1972 with the limited purpose of supplying essential consumer goods to the tribals and the Ashram Schools.  Its role has since been expanded and some its major activities are mentioned in the following paragraphs.

In order to prohibit marketing of certain agricultural and minor forest produce in the TSP areas by any other agencies except those notified by State Government and to also prohibit the lending by private agencies, the State Government in the year 1976 got enacted the Maharashtra Tribals Economic Condition (Improvement) Act. As per the provisions of this Act, the Monopoly Procurement Scheme was started from the year 1977-78. This scheme is being implemented through TDC with the association of Adivasi Co-operative Societies. TDC works as the chief agent of the State Government  and Adivasi Co-operative Societies work as the sub-agents of the Corporation for the implementation of the scheme. In 1977-78, the scheme was started in seven talukas of the State on pilot basis. The area of operation of the scheme was later widened and it is now implemented in the whole of the TSP area.  Under this scheme, notified agricultural and minor forest produces are procured by TDC. At present, 21 agricultural and 31 minor forest produces are procured under this scheme. The purchase rates under this scheme are fixed by the District Collectors/Additional Collectors on the basis of the prevailing rates in the nearest APMCs. During the current year, purchases were effected through 581 purchase centres spread over the entire TSP area. A part of the quantity procured  under this scheme is supplied to Government Ashram Schools and the balance is sold out in open auction. The procurement under the scheme during the last six years is as follows :

The implementation of Monopoly Procurement Scheme has helped to curb the exploitation  of the tribals at the hands of the middlemen by giving them prevailing market prices at their doorstep, taking care to ensure proper grading, weighment and immediate payment.

Consumption Finance Scheme started in 1978 is implemented through the TDC with the assistance of Adivasi Co-operative Societies. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to meet the consumption requirements of the needy tribal families during the monsoon. The assistance given is in the form of short term loan bearing interest of 7.5%. Ninty percent of the assistance is given in kind and the balance in cash.  The repayment is to be made in a single instalment in one year. The amount of the loan depends on the size of the family; a family having up to 4 members is given Rs. 400, a family having 5 to 8 members Rs. 800 and bigger families Rs. 1000.  The consumption finance distributed during the last six years and target fixed for the year 2000-2001 are as follows :

The Grain Bank Scheme was started in 1995-96 with the objective of preventing starvation and malnutrition of the tribals. This is an alternative to the Consumption Finance Scheme and is a part of "NavsanjeevanYojana". This is implemented in the tribal areas with the help of non-government organisations. The scheme is implemented in a unit consisting of a group of 3 or 4 villages covering 50 to 500 families. Under this scheme, every member would deposit a prescribed quantity of grain as his contribution to the Grain Bank initially.  Those tribal members who find it difficult to deposit the whole of their grain contribution will get two third of the grain contribution from the TDC.  Normally the initial contribution would be one quintal of grain per family.   Those who have deposited the grain in the Bank will be entitled to get grain on loan from the Bank.  The grain is to be returned after the harvest,  the rate of return varying from 105% to 115%, depending on when the grain is returned. The response to the scheme has not been very encouraging.  The details of implementation of  the scheme are as below :

In addition to the above, a centrally sponsored Grain Bank Scheme is being implemented in the tribal areas of six districts identified by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Under this scheme, Government of India has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 19.20 lakh for the year 1998-99 to implement grain bank scheme in Jawhar, Gadchiroli, Kalwan, Shahapur, Dahanu, Taloda, Bhamaragad and Aheri ITDPs in the State. This amount has been made available to TDC for the implementation of the scheme.

Grass Procurement Scheme was implemented by the Government of Maharashtra in the TSP areas of Thane district from the year 1978 onwards. As the Government suffered substantial loss under this scheme, it was decided in 1992 to stop the implementation of this scheme. Taking into account persistent demands for restarting grass procurement, the Government decided to restart the scheme in 1996-97, but through traders at the rates fixed by TDC. Acccordingly, 56450 tons of grass valued at Rs. 5.24 crore was procured in seven talukas of Thane district in the year 1996-97. However, it came to Government's notice that, traders were reluctant to purchase grass from the tribals in Jawhar, Mokhada and Shahapur talukas as the grass in that area is of a low quality. Government, therefore, decided to purchase from 1997-98 onwards grass in these talukas through the TDC. Accordingly, 4460 tons of grass (valued at Rs. 37.92 lakh) was purchased by the TDC during 1997-98. In other talukas, procurement of 40260 tons of grass (valued of Rs. 3.87 crore) was done by the traders. In the year 1998-99, decision to purchase the grass in Jawhar and Mokhada talukas was taken by the TDC very late. Hence, during this season only 37 tons of grass (valued at Rs. 24,000) could be procured by TDC in the above two talukas. In other talukas, grass procurement was done by the traders as usual. It has been decided to undertake purchase of grass through TDC in Jawhar and Mokhada talukas during the current year.