How an IAS officer transformed a poverty-stricken Jharkhand district into ‘Ragi Capital of India’

Gumla deputy commissioner (DC) Sushant Gaurav won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration earlier this year

A Jharkhand district known for its extreme poverty and Naxalite insurgency has undergone a remarkable transformation thanks to one IAS officer. Gumla deputy commissioner (DC) Sushant Gaurav won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration earlier this year for his work in transforming Gumla from a poverty-stricken district into the ‘Ragi Capital of India’.

Located in Jharkhand, the district of Gumla was plagued with several problems – one among them being its local agricultural practices.

According to a report in The Better India, most of the district’s predominantly advisai population was dependent on one crop – the water-guzzling paddy. IAS officer Sushant Gaurav introduced several innovations and helped locals transition to a more sustainable model of ragi cultivation.

Before the arrival of this 2014 batch officer, Gumla did not cultivate ragi. Gaurav saw the potential in ragi – a type of millet with many nutritional benefits.

While Gumla's economy previously revolved around rain-fed agriculture with the cultivation of one crop – rice – Gaurav initiated ragi cultivation with procurement of high-quality seeds through the National Seed Corporation.

Not only did ragi became an agricultural asset for the Jharkhand district, the IAS officer also empowered locals leverage its economic benefits by helping them sell ragi-based products.

"From an initial cultivation of Ragi in 1,600 acres, it was increased to 3,600 acres. Net output increased 300 per cent. What helped in the success story is procurement by Sakhi Mandal Samuh (women self help group). We established a Ragi processing centre which is the first in Jharkhand. Ragi Laddus, Bhujia snacks and flour are being produced which help battle malnutrition and anaemia (as it is rich in protein, calcium and iron)," Gaurav told PTI in an April 2023 interview.

The young bureaucrat received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in the "holistic development through aspirational district programme --- overall progress with special focus on saturation approach" category.

“We will transform this aspirational district to a transformational and inspirational one,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)