Development and the Exclusion of Indigenous Groups: Odisha as a Case Study

This paper examines various issues and challenges that persist among the displaced tribal population in Odisha through several state initiative development policies. Based on the secondary sources, the paper argues that the benefits of the development process in postcolonial India have been unequal in their distribution. The state sponsored modernisation projects have produced negative impact among most of the tribal communities, especially those who have faced forced displacement through construction of dams, hydropower projects, and industries. The various tribal movements in contemporary India reveal the story of their marginalisation. The paper concludes that without proper rehabilitation and resettlement policies, the state approaches for development have produced inequality, hunger, livelihood crisis, and cultural marginalisation of the displaced tribal population in India.