Capacity Building for Resettlement Management

Beacuse of the pressure of development, displacement of people from project sites has become an ubiquitous phenomenon. Relatively high rate of growth of the Indian economy has added new dimensions and diversity to project-related displacement. Development projects call for acquisition of land which, undertaken on a large scale and without consultation with the owners of land, have led to agitation and public protests. A proper resettlement policy is a key to dealing with this problem. However, before moving to resettlement, various means can be adopted for redesigning and implementing projects without causing or minimising the magnitude of displacement. Moreover, when displacement is inevitable, resettlement should become a principal component of the project design and implementation. Adequate resources and trained and dedicated manpower should be provided for this purpose both by the government and companies.