Through the huge majority that Bharatiya Janata Party received in Tripura in 2018, it was said that a fresh chapter of development through “double engine growth” will be rolled out. The CM Manik Saha echoed the same lines been over and over again, assuring jobs, better infrastructure, and overall well-being. It is now been nearly 4 years and the gap between the promises and the actual results is quite huge. Rising unemployment, corruption which is allegedly becoming the norm, and the fall of public services are some of the features of the present situation.
Rs 12,462 Crore Development Package: Missing in Action?
At the beginning of 2022, the government led by Bharatiya Janata Party announced an enormous development package of Rs 12,462 crore for Tripura, which they termed a revolutionary move. However, both journalistic sources and auditing records show a very different and alarming scenario. Further investigations by media, e.g. The Indian Express, have exposed a possible contractor-politician nexus which has put governance and accountability under the scanner.
Youth Unemployment: A Generation in Crisis
The deepest concern is probably the employment figures. Data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2024 highlights a devastating fact: The pattern is dramatically worsening: Though it is said that Rs 2,500 crore has been spent on skill development, a mere 17,000 jobs are said to have been generated which is only 0.7% of the target. Therefore, about 2.4 lakh graduates are believed to migrate every year to states like Gujarat and Kerala for work.
Education System Under Strain
The issues in the education sector are equally alarming. According to the data released by Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE 2025) : Tripura’s literacy rate has seen a downward trend over the years: As per a Rs 1,200 crore school up-gradation scheme, only 187 (or 8%) of the total schools have been upgraded so far, it is learnt.
Healthcare Gaps and Rising Risks
Healthcare statistics point even more to these systemic problems. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2025) reports: More problem on the side: There has been a 45% increase in the prevalence of diseases such as malaria since 2022, whereas the presence of 28,000 active TB patients serve as a reminder that the level of public health issue is increasing.
Infrastructure: Projects Delayed, Roads Crumbling
Infrastructure development, surely central to the BJP story, on the other hand, appears to be quite a scattered effort. Take Bharatmala, the flagship scheme for developing road infrastructure, that is the very illustration of the government trying to go that extra mile by road development. The government has allocated 7,000 crore rupees but road conditions remain very poor for 78% of the road network. In addition, the four-lane highway development was only 342 kms instead of the targeted 1,200 kms. There are some major reasons for delays:
-AgartalaSabroom expressway which has been delayed for over five years.Since the 2023 monsoons, 42 bridges have been reported to have collapsed. 92% of rural roads are said to be damaged every year due to floods.
Tribal Concerns and Political Alliances
The BJP’s alliance with TIPRA Motha, a party led by Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, was expected to be a resolution towards the fulfillment of the long-standing tribal demands as per the locals and leaders of these communities. But: Besides this, it has also been reported that a lot of tribal lands have been alienated since 2018, which has become a matter of serious concern in terms of their displacement and marginalization.
Corruption Allegations and Governance Questions
Audit findings and vigilance reports have revealed a series of irregularities with the first in the list being a whopping land scam of Rs 3,200 crore, in which politicians and other influential individuals were involved. The second case – the Agartala Smart City project, where the over-invoicing amounts to Rs. 1,987 crore. For the Matarbari Power Plant a cost escalation of Rs. 2,800 crore has been registered. The Ambassa Medical College is only 40% ready even after spending Rs. 648 crore. Yet, despite these charges, the lack of significant convictions leads one to wonder about the effectiveness of the accountability mechanisms within our institutions.
Power and Livelihood Struggles
Despite investments of more than Rs 2,100 crore in electric infrastructure: Local people are being subjected to power cuts for up to 8 hours a day Per capita electricity consumption is only 412 units, which is very low as compared to the national average of 1,255 A whopping 68% of rural households do not have a reliable 24-hour electricity supply. On the other hand, welfare schemes such as MGNREGA have also been questioned: Rs 642 crore may have been diverted through fake muster rolls 2.8 lakh ghost workers have been unearthed in the audits 68% of rural families rely on the scheme but the wages have been stagnant at Rs 224/day
A State at a Crossroads
Tripura’s development under the BJP tells a complicated and debated story. On one hand, the administration boasts about investments and policy intentions, on the other hand, statistics and reports point to shortcomings in delivery, execution, and supervision.With the upcoming elections in Tripura, the major issue is whether the government can fulfill the huge promises made in 2018 or not. For a lot of people particularly the young ones, their response will have a bearing not only on the political results but also the state’s advancement over time.
