IT-Enabled Inclusive Development: Blockchain Adoption for Transparent Tribal Resource Governance

Tribal communities in India face significant socioeconomic challenges, including resource mismanagement, inefficiencies in welfare distribution, and limited access to IT-enabled, technology-driven solutions. This paper aims to assess blockchain technology's impact on tribal socio-economic development through an application-based methodology. Adopting a mixed-method approach, this research utilizes secondary data from government reports, institutional databases, and blockchain-enabled projects across India. Using multiple regression analysis, the research examines the quantitative relationship between blockchain adoption in key areas—land registry, farm insurance, and digital certification—and development indicators such as literacy, income levels, and resource accessibility. While the findings indicate potential benefits in transparency and resource optimization, the statistical analysis reveals limited on-ground impact due to infrastructural constraints and low adoption rates. The paper highlights the need for targeted policy frameworks and capacity-building initiatives to overcome these barriers, emphasizing blockchain's role as a transformative tool for sustainable tribal development.