Impact of Rehabilitation Policy and Low Crop Yield Rengali Dam in Orissa

Anumber of factors affect agricultural productivity. These factors include inequality in land distribution, cropping pattern, irrigation, etc. This paper specifically deals with one particular factor, i e, state intervention and its impact on productivity. The Indian economy has undertaken a large number of development projects – in irrigation and power; industries; mining; forest and wildlife – after launching the planned development programmes in 1950-51 [Mishra 2002a]. Most of the development projects have been set up in rural areas and on the lands owned by the rural people. Rural people are accustomed to a very simple lifestyle and are attached to customs and traditions. The uprooting of millions of people to new unknown places is a matter that is now becoming increasingly contentious. Such displacement results in profound socio-economic and cultural disruption to the people affected as well as the disturbance of social fabric of local communities [Cernea 1988]. And the displacement, rehabilitation and resettlement are not by choice but mostly by compulsion. Displacement is nothing but a disaster in slow motion [Raja 2002].