Rehabilitation Recalled

Abstract

India after attaining independence, embarked on an ambitious programme of economic development. It was faced twin problems of unemployment and poverty to begin with. The land was rich with diverse natural resources but was unharnessed. The crucial task was to emphasize these resources-land, water, minerals, forest and sea wealth so as to transform them into productive wealth for the people. The Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) on Narmada was conceived keeping in view these potentials. Gujarat is facing an acute water crisis. It is imperative to harness water resources but at the same time it is more important to see that people affected by development projects derive benefits from the same. The SSP is embroiled in controversy because of past resettlement experiences, environmental consciousness, activism in tribal areas, cost of construction and time required for the completion etc. One of the most important dimensions is that of the issue of Displacement and Resettlement of the Project Affected Families (PAFs).The project affected tribal people belong to three states viz., Gujarat. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.There was prolonged inter-state water dispute over sharing the benefits of the project i.e. power, water and resettlement of the affected people. Rehabilitation is a crucial issue which can not be solved by mere policy alone. ... The present book, therefore, proposes to examine the problems of resettlement of people affected by this large-scale resources development project in India.