Tribal Plus and the Architecture of Empowerment: Reimagining MGNREGS through Participatory Governance in Kerala

This paper investigates Kerala’s Tribal Plus initiative as a transformative extension of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), designed to address structural marginalisation among Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Participatory Parity (Fraser), Capability Approach (Sen), Decent Work (ILO), Multilevel Governance (Hooghe & Marks), and Culturally Embedded Decentralisation (Xaxa; Baviskar), the study employs a mixed-methods design to analyse implementation across Wayanad, Palakkad, and Idukki districts. Quantitative data on employment intensity, wage reliability, and asset creation is triangulated with qualitative insights from tribal workers, Kudumbashree animators, and Oorukoottam leaders. The findings reveal significant gains in livelihood security, gender inclusion, ecological sustainability, and institutional trust, while also identifying persistent gaps in outreach to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Kerala’s model repositions MGNREGS from a compensatory welfare scheme to a platform for participatory, dignified, and culturally resonant development. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for institutional convergence, tribal-led planning, and eco-social asset creation, offering a replicable blueprint for justice-based tribal governance in India.