Evaluation Study Report of Tribal Development Programmes - ITDA Paloncha-Khammam District

Abstract

There are several safe guards, privileges and concessions have been incorporated into the constitution in favour of the scheduled Tribes, in view of their backwardness. In pursuance of this policy various developmental programmes were evolved and implemented since Independence, for amelioration of the socio-economic conditions of the Tribal groups. Periodical review of performance of these development programmes have highlighted the need for comprehensive and concentrated development efforts and it was decided to adopt sub plan as strategy for acceleration of development process and to achieve the balanced growth among tribals during the Fifth Five Year Plan. The present report relates to ITDA Polancha, Khammam District of Andhra Pradesh. Two blocks vix., Aswaraopeta and Kunavaram were selected and 10% sample of villages in each block were selected for collection of village level data including developmental programmes and infrastructure facilities. The first Tribal Sub-plan strategy was conceived. The main thrust of the perspective plan is to accelerate development by adopting growth centers approach as a strategy. However, it is noticed that growth center approach was not implemented by the ITDA. The ITDA covers 905 tribal villages spread on area of 6,899.9 sq.kms. Koyas, Konda Reddy, Lambada, and Yerukula inhabit the Sub-plan area of the district. a sum of abut Rs. 1489.85 laksh was spent on various sectoral programmes during the first phase of the tribal sub-plan i.e 1975-80. The allocatations made under Tribal Sub-Plan by various general sector departments come to only 2.4% as against 6% expected allocations being the minimum requirement, which is for less than the percentages of tribal population of the state and proportion of tribal area in the district. under Special Central Assistance the ITDA got Rs. 333.35 lakhs as releases for a period of 5 years as against this an amount of Rs. 416.260 lakhs was spent on various development programmes. The review of annual sectoral expenditure brings out an interesting fact, that there has been no follow-up efforts or consolidation in the expenditure pattern in each sector over a 5 years period. The ITDA implemented core sectoral economic programmes i.e Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture, Social Forestry and Village and Small Industries to create such an impact as to improve economy of tribals. For implementation of various developmental programmes and to look after the day-to-day administration of the Project, project officer is supported to technical/subject matter specialists like, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Engineering, Medical and Health, Extension Officers and Accounts Branch and Monitoring and Reporting, publications Cell etc.,