About

In the realm of development initiatives, the Poverty and Human Development Monitoring Agency (PHDMA) emerged on the 16th of June, 2005, as part of the “Fiscal and Administrative Reform Programme.” Tasked with monitoring and fortifying human development and poverty indicators in Odisha, it functions autonomously under the aegis of the Planning & Convergence Department, and is registered under the Societies Registration Act, of 1860 subject to the overall direction and control of the State Government.

Poverty & Human Development Monitoring Agency (PHDMA) has been constituted by Government of Odisha in P & C Department, vide their Resolution No. 9038-PTF-I-21/2002-P.

The Planning & Convergence Department would extend necessary logistic and budgetary support to the Agency. Its area of operation will be the whole of Odisha. It may, however, also participate in research and consultancy activities even outside Odisha. It is an autonomous organization under the administrative control of Planning & Convergence Department, Government of Odisha.

Till the year 2020, it has worked around the close lines of quantitative analysis through secondary data sets. However, from the year 2020, it shifted its approach towards qualitative analysis, impact evaluation and monitoring through first-hand data sets and frequent field visits across the state. From numeric evaluations, the focus has now shifted to stories around lived experiences.