This document provides an overview of Biriguda Village located in Odisha, India. It summarizes the village's location, demographics, economy, infrastructure, institutions, and political system. The village has a population of 1,298 people living in 327 households across three hamlets. The economy is primarily agricultural, with many families living in poverty. Key challenges include lack of healthcare, education, sanitation, and livelihood opportunities. Overall, the document paints a picture of a rural village with close-knit social structures but also facing various economic and development difficulties.

1. EXPLORATORY STUDY OF
BIRIGUDA VILLAGE

2. Learning Objectives
Rural Sensitization- To understand rural life and comprehend the people
living in rural areas by being a part of their life, through their perspective
To learn to develop a complete village profile- in terms of social, political
and economic conditions & how these interlink to create a dynamic
‘community’.

3. Sources of Data Collection
Sources
Semi-
structured
interview
Survey
Questionn
aire
Non-
government
Institution
records
PRA

4. LOCATION
 Located under Odiapentha gram panchayat in Laxmipur block
of Koraput district.
54 kms from Koraput and 373 kms from Bhubaneshwar.
Koraput district in Odisha
Laxmipur block in Koraput
district

5. HISTORY
Earlier only Biriguda village was present, now the
village consists of 3 hamlets
Biriguda colony- established in 1976 when 45
residents of Biriguda village got houses built under
the Integrated Housing Development Scheme
Pardiguda-around 150 years old

6. VILLAGE SOCIETY

7. VILLAGE DEMOGRAPHY
Area 253.75 acres
Population 1298
Households 327
Sex ratio 1093
BPL families 210(64%)
Soil type Rengta &
patheria(75%)
Biriguda revenue
village
Biriguda
village
Biriguda
colony Pardiguda
114 HH 107 HH 106 HH
40%
54%
6% 0%
Age Group
0-18
19-60
>60

8. HEALTHCARE STATUS
Diarrhoea , skin disease and malaria are the common ailments
Reason- open defecation, poor hygiene, lack of cleanliness, lack of hygiene
at drinking water places, drinking stream water
For treatment purposes, ANM is present at Biriguda colony and an ANM
sub-centre at Biriguda village. 1 PHC is present where doctor is present.
Nearest hospital is at Laxmipur, which is 12 kms away from village
Mobile medical van comes once in 2-3 months without prior intimation
Female Health: The females work hard and are generally anemic. Cooking
in traditional chulhas (bujula) inside the house also affects women health.

9. EDUCATION STATUS
Of the total population in the village 329(25%) are of school going age.
1 Anganwadi, 2 Primary schools , 1 Upper primary school(till class VII) in
Biriguda village. For higher education students have to go Laxmipur high
school.
Literacy rate of 46%.
Most one can study in village is till Class VII
Major Problem: Lack of infrastructure, lack of transportation facilities

10. VILLAGE ECONOMY

11. Village economy
• It is a agro-based economy. Almost 80% are engaged in cultivation-
majority as laborers.
• Avg. land holding size is 3-5 acres.
• As it sloppy land so they practice contour farming.
• Main cultivation at biriguda staple crops is like paddy, mandiya, soya,
etc. while vegetables like brinjal ,tomato, potato, cabbage, beans,
cauliflower and ladyfinger.
• Total Livestock holding family are 78 in which cows are 138,
pigs 82, sheep 4 , goat 114, poultry 1138.
• Market nearest to Biriguda is at Laxmipur, people visit to purchase daily
use items and vegetables . Also a haat is conducted on every Saturday.
• Farmers are divided into BADA CHASI AND CHOTA CHASI on the
basis of their food security. Bada chasi is 131 family have security of food
for whole year while chota chasi is 116 family has security for 4-5 months
in a year.

12. Village economy
• Forest produce are Mango, jackfruit, mahua, tamarind, harda. People
generally utilise source of fuel for cooking purpose from mango woods.
Also NTFP program is about start in mid December.
• Services are available like shops but only 3 retail shops are present and
sells only daily use commodity and employees only family member in it
also there is auto rickshaw service from biriguda to laxmipur.
• Farmers use Agricultural inputs available in terms of fertilizer like DAP
(Diammonium phosphate), UREA, Potash and manures but certain
population of people resist use of chemical fertilizer and generally prefer
organic manure to minimize side effects of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. They have power tiller for ploughing of land. They also practice
traditional method of ploughing i.e. with bulls and plough. Seeds utilized
presently are hybrid variety because of more production.

13. livelihood
1. Human asset – mainly people are having agricultural skills, 3 family are
engaged in carpentry business and one family engaged in small hotel
business while some engaged and skilled in animal grazing.
2. Social asset - There is marked gender discrimination in the field of
political participation and property rights. However, in the fields of
cultural activities and wage rates there is gender equality.
3. Natural asset – Generally red soil, black soil, stony and gravelly soil are
found. Drinking water is spring water drawn to village by pipe lines. land
types found are dangar, podu,bedi,pada.
4. Physical asset – village has hand pump but people don’t consume its
water because of dirt's. Lack of secure sanitation facility. Electricity is
available for approx 18 hours hours but sometimes power outrage extend
for even 7-10 days. check dams are also present for irrigation of feilds
and well developed and paved cc roads are present.

14. livelihood
5. Personnel asset – people lack motivation and ambition
especially of ST community.
They practice rituals and worship god named “maa tarini” and
“phool devi”
6. Organisational asset – CYSD and 13 SHG’s.
Wage labor
Trading and
business
Agriculture

15. Vulnerability
19%
58%
11%
12%
Women HH
Landless
Old Men HH
Handicap
A large number of families are landless, espicially in Biriguda colony where
only 45 HHs out of total 106 HHs have “patta” land or legal documents for
their land
Land acquisition by Aditya Birla group

16. Landless
• Labourer
• Sharecropper
• Skill based work
like masonry,
carpentry, driving,
etc.
• Seasonal migration
• Diversification
• Goat rearing
Women HH
• Labourer
• Small
business like
selling
bangles, dry
fish,etc
• Goat rearing
• Pension/
compensation
Old Man
HH
• Pension
• Give their land
on
sharecropping
• Goat rearing
Coping strategies of the vulnerable

17. Sources of Credit
40, 83%
8, 17%
Banks
SHGs
 Main sources of credit are still informal sources like relatives and
friends
 They turn to formal sources only when they have no other way
No moneylenders in the village
Loans from SHGs are slowly increasing
Not enough SHGs for men
Formal sources of
credit

18.  PWD road runs through heart of the village. Roads under the Pradhan
Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is being built to connect the hamlets to the
main road running through the heart of the village.
 Vehicular connectivity is a major problem.
 Out of the three hamlets of the village Pardiguda has not yet been electrified
in spite of the provision of Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran
Yojana.
 Distance & terrain prove major hindrance to power supply.
 Alternate source of lighting is solar power & kerosene.
 Many houses have been built with IAY funds.
 Most of the families have pucca houses with asbestos roofs except that of the
sarpanch who has concrete roof.
 24Hrs water supply is there in two of the three hamlets but the Pardiguda
hamlet is devoid of any water supply.
 VDC building and Multipurpose SHG hall is also present there.
Village Infrastructure

19. Village Institutions
 Village Development Community centre.
 Public Distribution Shop is available but at a distant place about 2.5km
away from the village.
 ANM building.
 Primary School.
 Anganwadi.
 Village Committee: Responsible for managing common activities in the
village like dispute settlement, cultural functions, maintaining records,
etc.
 Women Saving Groups: SHGs
 Gram Sabha
 Panchayat: Responsible for bringing facilities to the weaker section and
development works. But it is not dispensing its duties properly and the
labourers are not getting their right wages and details of the work done.
 Block development Office
 Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA)
 Odhisa Tribal Employment & Livelihood Program (OTELP)

20. • High political participation- high voter turn out.
• High awareness about individual & collective rights. Gram sabhas
held as stipulated. Development plans evolved after thorough
deliberation in Gram Sabhas.
• Village Panchayat serves as fountainhead of rational-legal authority
and is very proactive in disbursing duties.
• The Gram Sabha meetings are held twice a year one in the month of
February and another in the month of August.
• More than 85-90% attendance in the GS and GP meetings indicates
the high awareness among the village people.
• Gram Panchayat meetings are held twice in a month once on the 2nd
day and one on the 16th day of the month.
Village Polity

21. Village Polity
• Though the Sarpanch is the formal head of the village
but the decision is taken according to the general
consensus of the village people.
• The allocation of BPL/APL families and disbursement of
govt. funds are done without any discrepancy.
• Women members are equally active and participative in
the GP and GS meetings.

22. PRA- Biriguda Colony

23. Reflections
• Though the villagers had to face daily hardships in their livelihoods but
yet they are quite content with their present status.
• They live in harmony despite of caste differences among them.
• The village economy is mainly depended on agriculture and NTFP
collection from the forest.
• Substantial improvement can be done in agriculture. Traditional
methods of agriculture are still used.
• Due to the current economic deprivation the Health condition of the
village is not that well and good, and people suffering from very minor
diseases often die. Alcoholism is a serious issue and needs to be
checked if the village is to progress.
• Sanitation facilities need to be developed as open defecation is a cause
for many problems
• Alternate sources of livelihood particularly NTFP and goat rearing
needs to encouraged more
• Revival of defunct SHGs