What do you mean by development induced displacement?

Make an assessment of the causes

and effects of development-induced displacement in India?

Introduction:
Earlier development was associated with economic aspects only. It was mostly equated
with growth and analysed in terms of increase in per capita income. However further it was
realised that the purely economic concept did not capture the social reality. Hence the
development is now understood in terms of improvement in living conditions, life
chances and quality of life. And displacement is multidimensional phenomenon of which
physical relocation is important dimension. According to Bartolome displacement is
commonly experienced through the loss of land and the disruption of social and economic
relationship.
Conceptual aspects associated with Development Induced Displacement:
When the government plans some types of development, such as construction of dams,
power generation plants, construction of roads or railways and development of industrial
areas etc., it acquires land for the purpose. After paying some compensation asks the
original owners of the land acquired to vacate it. If they do not do so willingly they are
removed from the acquired land by force. This process is termed as
development induced displacement (DID).

Development-induced displacement has been a significant phenomenon in the Indian

context, where rapid economic growth and infrastructure projects often lead to the
uprooting of communities and individuals from their ancestral lands. While development
projects promise progress and modernization, they can also result in the displacement of
vulnerable populations, triggering complex social, economic, and environmental
consequences.
Development-induced displacement often disproportionately affects marginalized and
vulnerable communities. Displacement can disrupt the social fabric of these communities,
pushing them into migratory patterns as they seek alternative livelihoods

Causes of DID
Displacement of people has been caused by several reasons and developmental projects are the
most common reason in India for removing people from their native place. Many times, the Indian
government takes different initiatives for making dams, reservoirs, power plant and hydel projects,
even for the urban developmental projects. Displacement is also caused by the extraction of natural
resources. At the time of a developmental project or any kind of mining project, people of that
place need to be removed for the successful completion of the project. That is why this kind of
displacement is called development-induced displacement. Development is the inevitable event to
keep pace with the modernization but these developmental phenomena are found to cause different
issues on human life and livelihood. In India, these types of cases of induced displacement are
very common like any other developing nation. In order to enhance the growth aspects of the
country, like other developing nations, India is also focused on developmental projects but it is
done with the cost of rural people’s life and livelihood. A study has revealed that around 10 % of
rural people are getting displaced in India for the development project. Main causes of
development induced displacement are:
➢ Infrastructure Projects: Mega projects, such as dams and urban renewal, demand
extensive land, leading to mass displacements.
➢ Urbanization: Rapid urban growth can result in the eviction of informal settlements,
causing
displacement.
➢ Industrialization: Expansion of industries might require land acquisition, displacing
local communities.
➢ Natural Resource Extraction: Mining projects disrupt communities residing in
resource-rich areas.
➢ Agriculture: Large-scale agricultural projects can displace communities from fertile
lands.
➢ Military Installations: The establishment of military bases can lead to displacement.

Causes of DID
Causes development induced displacement
Urban infrastructure • Airports
• Services
Transportation • Roads
• Highway
• Canals
Energy
Agriculture expansion
Population redistributions schemes • Natural
calamities
• War
• Famine
Water supply • Dams
• Reservoirs
• Irrigations

Consequences of displacement:
The consequences of displacement can be categorized into two main groups: Positive and
Negative.
Positive impacts of displacement typically benefit only a small portion of the affected
community. These include:
• Some individuals may see improvements in their status through increased
landholdings. In certain cases, there may be a rise in income due to
employment opportunities created by the Project.
• The development induced displacement enhances the rate of migration of
people towards urban areas. It causes enhanced urbanisation and leads to
multicultural metropolitans as a meeting point of little and great tradition.
The chath puja in West Bengal is now well known festival.
 • Displacement might lead to a break in oppressive social hierarchies in certain
situations.
Negative Impacts: On the other hand, negative impacts of displacement are felt by the
majority of displaced individuals, resulting in a process of dispossession and
disempowerment.
The development process has the potential to disrupt and dismantle villages, socio-
economic structures, and cultural practices. When people are forcibly uprooted from their
homes, the following adverse situations often occur:
• Disruption of production systems.
• Loss of productive assets and income sources.
• Relocation to environments where their skills may be less relevant and
competition for resources is greater.
• Disorganization of long-established residential groups.
• Scattering of kinship groups.
• Breakdown of informal social networks and safety nets.

Conclusion:
Development-induced displacement is a multifaceted issue with wide. It is crucial
to recognize the diverse nature of affected communities and the specific context in which
displacement occurs, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by women in these
situations. Addressing these complex issues is essential for creating more equitable and
sustainable development policies.