From Subsistence to Sustainability: A Quantitative Assessment of Government Scheme Impact on the Reang (Bru) PVTG of Dhalai District, Tripura

Abstract

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India remain among the most marginalized populations despite extensive state-sponsored welfare programmes. The Reang (Bru) community of Dhalai District, Tripura, presents a compelling case of persistent socio-economic exclusion despite targeted policy intervention.This study quantitatively assesses the extent to which government development schemes reach and benefit Reang households, and identifies the structural barriers that produce implementation failures.Primary data were collected from 363 households across four sub-divisions of Dhalai District (Longtrai Valley, Ambasa, Kamalpur, and Gandacherra) using proportional stratified sampling based on the Yamane (1967) formula at a 95% confidence level. Survey instruments captured scheme awareness, access, barriers to access, nature of benefits received, and perceived economic impact.While 59.6% of Reang households reported awareness of PVTG-specific schemes, only 19.1% had successfully accessed benefitsan Awareness-Access Gap of approximately 40 percentage points. Corruption and favouritism were identified as the primary structural barrier by 28.4% of respondents, significantly outweighing procedural complexity (5.3%). Among those receiving benefits, plantation-based inputs (11.9%) and housing assistance (7.1%) were most common; however, 80.4% of respondents reported no discernible economic improvement.The findings indicate a systemic implementation gap driven by governance failure rather than by demand-side deficits. Transitioning to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanisms and strengthening institutional accountability are recommended as priority interventions.