Keonjhar (Odisha) [India], May 18: Parul Patwari, a 2015-batch IAS officer (formerly of the Indian Revenue Service, 2013 batch), featured in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ knowledge repository on tribal development best initiatives has been widely recognised for her administrative excellence. She was adjudged the “Best All-Round Officer Trainee” during her Foundation Course and has received multiple awards for her work. During her tenure as Sub-Collector of Champua (2017–2019) in Keonjhar, she also held additional charge as Project Administrator (PA) of ITDA Champua, as the subdivision falls under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP).
The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Champua, located in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district of Odisha, has emerged as a beacon of hope for tribal communities by implementing a comprehensive set of livelihood and learning initiatives. Functioning since 1979, ITDA Champua covers three blocks — Champua, Joda, and Jhumpura — where nearly 60% of the population comprises tribal communities such as Bhuyan, Gond, Kolha, Santal, and Bathudi.
In a strategic move to revive and strengthen traditional occupations while introducing modern efficiencies, ITDA has rolled out multiple flagship livelihood projects. Under the Sericulture initiative at Kasia village in Malda Gram Panchayat (Jhumpura Block), 88 Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries are being supported in Tussar silkworm rearing and cocoon preservation. With technical and financial assistance from the Central Silk Board (CSB), Department of Sericulture (DoS), and Tussar Development Foundation (TDF), ITDA has constructed a dedicated Grainage unit and provided working capital to revive this culturally significant activity.
In the dairy sector, 92 ST families have been provided milch cows with a total subsidy support of ₹20 lakh (@ ₹20,000 per beneficiary). The project, implemented in convergence with OMFED along established milk routes, also includes breed improvement and fodder demonstration components. Poultry farming has been another success story, covering 88 beneficiaries in Champua Block. Modern poultry sheds constructed through MGNREGS convergence can house 500 broiler chicks per cycle, enabling six cycles annually. These units are supported by the Baitarani Poultry Samabaya Cooperative Society at Turumunga, managed by Pradhan NGO.
Other innovative interventions include the installation of a Hydraulic Ram (Hydram) project at Kaliabeda village in Joda Block at a cost of ₹3.36 lakh. This ancient yet highly relevant technology lifts river water to higher elevations without electricity, proving ideal for irrigation in hilly tribal areas. Seventeen Zero-Energy Cool Chambers (ZECC) have been established in Champua and Jhumpura blocks. These evaporative cooling structures can reduce temperature by 10-15°C and maintain 95% humidity, significantly extending the shelf life of horticultural produce and helping small farmers bypass middlemen.
A green entrepreneurship model has been established through the “Aadi Shakti Producer Group,” comprising 252 tribal women from eight villages. The group operates a Sal Plate Making Unit at Bardhana in Jally GP, promoting eco-friendly disposable crockery made from forest leaves while generating sustainable income for forest-dependent communities. This project was done in 2017-19
Mechanization support includes distribution of 35 Power Tillers to 35 ST Self-Help Groups (covering 354 beneficiaries) and 25 Rice Hullers to 25 SHGs (benefiting 256 members) under the SCA to TSP scheme. Additionally, 580 tailoring machines have been provided to 580 women members across 56 ST SHGs, with stitching training facilitated by Prakalp NGO.
The initiative has also received recognition within the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ knowledge and best-practice documentation ecosystem, where innovative tribal development and education models from across India are identified for wider replication and policy reference..
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