Does Social Capital Matter for the Development of Scheduled Tribes in Kerala? An Inter-tribal Analysis

The study intends to explore and substantiate the effectiveness of social capital in the development of different tribes in Kerala, specifically examining inter-tribal disparities. Primary data were gathered from the Kasaragod district in Kerala, encompassing 240 sample households representing the prominent tribes of the region, namely Mavilan, Marati and Malavettuvan. An index has been developed to evaluate the comparative level of social capital possessed by each tribe under investigation by incorporating its various dimensions. The results highlight that the overall effectiveness of social capital in the development of scheduled tribes in Kerala is marginal. However, there are statistically significant differences in the achievement of development outcomes between tribes with high social capital and those with low social capital. Tribes with a higher social capital index excel in bonding, bridging and linking dimensions. Hence, it is imperative to formulate tribal development initiatives with due regard to their distinctive social capital endowment.