Agartala, 9th July 2026: In the state where the ruling BJP proclaims “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”, the harsh reality of poverty and neglect has surfaced in Manirampara ADC village under Hrishyamukh constituency. An 80-year-old tribal woman, Purna Lakshmi Tripura, is surviving on forest fruits and wild vegetables with her disabled grandson, raising serious questions about the reach of development in Tripura.
Despite the much-publicized “Triple Engine” government—BJP in the state, BJP at the Centre, and TIPRA Motha in the ADC—basic welfare schemes have failed to reach her doorstep. Purna Lakshmi, who once depended on her old-age pension, has not received any allowance for the past six months. Her repeated visits to the bank end in disappointment, with her account remaining empty.
She possesses a job card under MGNREGA, but work opportunities are scarce, and even when work is allotted, wages do not reach her account. With no income, no pension, and no support, she and her disabled grandson rely solely on forest produce for survival.
Local residents allege that irregular pensions and stalled MGNREGA wages are common across many households in Manirampara ADC village. Families are forced to depend on forest fruits and roots, exposing the grim failure of welfare delivery in tribal-dominated areas.
The situation has sparked widespread concern: if constitutional guarantees of “food, clothing, and shelter” collapse in such villages, what does “development” truly mean? As hunger grows louder than slogans, the plight of Purna Lakshmi Tripura stands as a stark reminder that promises of inclusive growth remain unfulfilled.
