Voices of empowered women from lanjigarh in Odisha

Development is intended to address deprivation. Paradoxically the ongoing process of development in Odisha not only deepened but also widened deprivation and caused large scale displacement. In the case of Odisha‟s development model, displacement caused by large projects has actually resulted in a transfer of resources from the weaker section of society to the privileged ones. Mega dams, thermal power plant, mining and industrial projects create victims of development. It can be said that the bigger the development project, the greater the centralized control over it. This centralization has a bias in favour of large landholders, rich farmers, engineers, bureaucrats and politicians. The large scale development projects are basically designed to enhance the power of the state and private capital and are incapable of representing or serving the interests of the vast majority of the people. With the takeover of forests by the state, the traditional or customary rights of forest-dwellers were gradually converted into privileges and even further into concessions. This paper highlights the process of development in Odisha and its implications to deal with human displacement issue. Also, it seeks to reassert the protection of the rights of displaced peoples and what needs to be addressed today is the right to development, in which all their fundamental rights and freedom are realised. It concludes that though infrastructure development is necessary, it has to be implemented with a human face so that the effect of displacement is minimized and the goal of inclusive development will achieve.