Land alienation and threats to livelihoods of indigenous populations

Abstract

Today, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, India’s growth is being questioned. Despite a high GDP rate, it continues to fail in human development indices. Development in its present form has resulted in forceful land acquisitions, mainly affecting vulnerable sections of the society. Large-scale land acquisition for industries, SEZs, IT sectors, real estate and mining has threatened the rural poor from their land and livelihoods, making them more vulnerable. Hence, the question arises on the viability of these schemes and their justification of alleviating rural poverty. Therefore, the question that arises is: development for whom? Those who are forced dispossession of their lands do not benefit from this business transaction where a new class of those enjoying the profits is created. It is this state-society conflict relating to acquisition of land and the further alienation of the poor that this paper examines in the context of Odisha. Adopting a political economy analysis, the paper argues that a development strategy towards heavy industrialization to overcome poverty has further increased the vulnerabilities of the poor, mainly tribals. In order to make development inclusive, government strategies need to be more socially embedded. The same strategies adopted in advanced Western countries cannot be juxtaposed on India, ignoring the needs of local communities and also the ecology. This argument is substantiated by the empirical studies of Vedanta and Dongoria Kondhas, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) in Kalahandi district of Odisha.