Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA)
A detailed and comprehensive review of the tribal peoples’ problem was taken up on theeve of the Fifth Five Year Plan period. The main objective of ITDA is socio-economic
development of tribal communities through income generating schemes allied with Infrastructure
Development programmes and protection of the tribal communities against exploitation.
The ITDA project areas are generally contiguous areas of the size of a Tehsil or Block or
more in which the ST population is 50% or more of the total. Due to the demographic profile of
the tribal people in these regions, however, the ITDPs in Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and
West Bengal may be smaller or not contiguous. Andhra Pradesh and Orissa have opted for an
Agency model under the Registration of Societies Act and the ITDPs there are known as ITD
Agencies (ITDAs).
So far, 194 ITDPs / ITDAs have been delineated in the country. In Jammu and Kashmir
though no ITDP has been delineated yet, the areas having ST Population in the State are treated
as covered under the TSP strategy. In eight states having scheduled areas the ITDPs / ITDAs are
generally co-terminus with TSP areas. The ITDPs / ITDAs are headed by Project Officers though
they may be designated Project Administrators or Project Directors.
