Tripura, 27 August 2026: While the government frequently highlights various development initiatives government, residents of remote Debkumar Para under Khowaifang ADC Village allege that basic facilities have still not reached their village.
Located around 9 kilometres from Khowaifang Market, Debkumar Para remains difficult to access. Villagers claim that nearly 4.5 kilometres of the route has to be covered on foot due to the lack of a proper motorable road.
Residents also allege that the village lacks adequate drinking water facilities, an Anganwadi centre, a school and a healthcare facility.
The seriousness of the situation was highlighted recently when a pregnant woman from the area reportedly had to be carried for several kilometres on a makeshift stretcher to reach medical care. According to local residents, the nearest health centre is around 8 kilometres away, forcing villagers to depend on difficult and unsafe transportation arrangements during medical emergencies.
Speaking to journalists, a local resident said that most families in the area depend on jhum cultivation for their livelihood. He said that while MGNREGA work is available, it does not always meet the villagers’ demand.
He also pointed out that rubber cultivation requires investment and takes time before generating income, making it difficult for poorer families to depend on it.
“Development has taken place, but only the development that has happened is being shown. What has not developed in the villages is not being shown,” the villager said, stressing that the community’s primary demands are roads and drinking water.
He further said that the lack of nearby educational facilities is also affecting children. Since schools are located far from the village, younger children often cannot be sent to school until they are around nine or ten years old, he alleged.
The resident added that almost everyone in the village depends on jhum cultivation, while limited financial resources make it difficult for families to establish alternative sources of livelihood.
The villagers have appealed for immediate construction of an all-weather road, reliable drinking water facilities, accessible healthcare services, an Anganwadi centre and educational infrastructure.
The situation has also raised a broader question among residents: if people in a remote village still have to carry a pregnant woman several kilometres on a makeshift stretcher to access healthcare, how far has development actually reached the village?
