JEYPORE: The announcement of making a 56-year-old tribal woman of Patraput village in Koraput district a member of the State Planning Board has brought cheer for the widow as well as the locals. Villagers and elected representatives of Jeypore block are making a beeline for her thatched house to congratulate Kamala Pujari, who brought laurels to the State by preserving hundreds of local varieties of paddy and promoting organic farming.
Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the Chairman of the State Planning Board, had nominated five new members, including Kamala, to the panel that makes five-year plans for Odisha apart from providing short and long term policy guidelines. It is for the first time that a tribal woman has been included as the State’s Planning Board member from the district.
Surprised over the announcement, a delighted Kamala said, “I had never dreamt of getting such a prestigious Government post. I came to know about the announcement from media. I would give priority to provide drinking water supply in the villages.” This has come as a blessing for her who is not much aware of the background over her posting.
Former Minister and BJD leader Rabi Narayan Nanda, hailing from the same village, thanked the State Government for selecting Kamala as member of Planning Board.
Kamala, who lives with her two sons, is a known name in Koraput for having persuaded villagers in her area to shun chemical fertilisers and adopt organic farming for better harvest and soil fertility. She brought laurels to the State by preserving hundreds of local varieties of paddy seeds, including ‘Kalajira’.
After getting trained at M S Swaminathan Research Foundation at Jeypore, she organised group meetings, interacted with the villagers and convinced them to take up organic farming. She had also joined a workshop on organic farming organised by the Foundation at Johannesburg in 2002 where her efforts were lauded by the participants across the globe. In 2004, the State Government had felicitated her as the best woman farmer. Kamala now ekes out her living by farming along with her sons - Durjyadhan and Tankadhar.