Abstract
The genesis of this study was the observations contained in an earlier report on the impacts of the block planting scheme (BPS) for natural rubber (NR) in Tripura. The report highlighted the constraints in capitalising the potential linkage effects of the BPS on the regional economy. It was observed that the impact of higher household income from NR cultivation was confined to consumption linkages and the main reason for the same was found to be the nature and quality of human capital available among the beneficiary households. The present study is an explorative analysis to understand the availability of infrastructural facilities at the village level and accessibility to the same by the beneficiary households. The study was based on a sample survey conducted during the year 2010-11. The relevant data were collected from 13 selected villages and 161 rubber growers attached to 11 BPU/GPU from West Tripura and South Tripura districts. Altogether, seven broad areas of infrastructure viz., (i) transport (ii) electricity (iii) drinking water (iv) education (v) communication (vi) healthcare, and (vii) credit were considered for the analysis. The methodology adopted by the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy (CMIE) for infrastructure ranking of different districts of India was used for the analysis. Among the selected villages and BPU/GPU the best infrastructural indices were observed in the case of samples from South Tripura district. The better access of beneficiary households under the BPU/GPU to the selected infrastructural facilities compared to the availability at the village level was mainly on account of higher disposable household income. The findings of the study underlined the limitations of the exclusive dependence on income from rubber by the beneficiary households and the need for active policy interventions in four selected areas viz., (i) education (ii) healthcare (iii) transport, and (iv) banking, to ensure sustained growth of the regional economy through diversification of the sources of household income.
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