Development Projects and Impoverishment Risks: Resettling Project-Affected People in India

The human costs of economic development have become a contemporary issue of great importance. A particularly contentious aspect of this debate is the direct negative impact on people of large-scale development projects. However, both sides of the divide are united by a concern for the fate of people who are forced to relocate, leaving behind forever their homes, lands and communities. This book looks at the Indian experience of resettlement and the recent recognition of the need for better rehabilitation of affected people. It presents evidence of impoverishment, seeks its causes and suggests ways to reduce the risks of impoverishment. Case studies from different parts of India examine the risks of impoverishment associated with resettlement resulting from a variety of projects (such as irrigation, hydropower, mining, and thermal power). These risks include insecurity of livelihood; problems of access to common property and public services; health and nutrition hazards such as increased morbidity and mortality; marginalization, loss of community structures and social disarticulation. Emphasizing the importance of being aware of the possible adverse impact of development interventions on poorer groups in particular, the essays call for incorporating risk analysis into more proactive planning, so that corrective measures can be taken.