Universal benchmark survey of one sample ITDA (Tileibani ITDA) in Debgarh district and formulation of Perspective Plan

Abstract

Tileibani Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Debgarh district was formed in the year 2015 to improve the condition of the STs of the block and accelerate their development process.As Teleibani is a new ITDA, baseline study was conducted with the objectives to assess the socio-economic status of people of the area including their housing conditions/ownership status, land holding pattern and fiscal status; examine access to basic infrastructure facilities; identifying gaps in respect of infrastructure /basic amenities/ livelihood and income generation and prepare a long-term action plan for development of the STs and their areas. The study adopted observational study design which is exploratory and empirical in nature with a mixed method approach. The study covered all the 20 GPs, 220 revenue villages and 10, 418 tribal households. As per the findings of the survey, Tilibeni ITDA houses eight different tribal communities such as Gond, Kisan, Bhuyan, Kandha. Munda etc. Tileibani, ST population comprises 57.88 % of the total block population. The literacy rate of STs in the block is estimated to be 56.99% with male literacy rate of 66.09% and female literacy rate of 48.05%. The ST worker population in the block is 54.99% of the total tribal population of the block. Among the ST workforce, cultivator to total worker population is higher (24.32%) than the block (22.85%). Percentage of ST male cultivator to the total ST male worker population of the block (35.23%) is higher than the block (35.52%). Similarly, percentage of ST female cultivator to total ST female worker in the block (11.84%) is marginally higher than the block (11.21%).The survey also covered the land holding pattern, house and asset ownership, enrolment to various government schemes, migration pattern etc. among ST population. This study report provides a baseline which can be used to monitor and evaluate the performance of tribal development interventions in future. The plans prepared in a decentralized approach can be used for future intervention and may also be made a part of the overall Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) for the overall development of the village / GP. Funds available to ITDA under SCA to TSP and Article 275 (1) can act as a gap bridging fund while funds earmarked under TSP can be dovetailed for the overall development of STs through the implementation of planned activities.