ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses resettlement issues as they emerge from the perspective of implementation. Land- and property-owning project-affected persons are inherently the focus of any compensation or resettlement package. In the course of a discussion of the special circumstances that catapulted Sardar Sarovar Project resettlement to the level of an international debate, the chapter attempts to identify some of the generic problems that commonly confront resettlement. The Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal gave its final award in 1979, and stipulated provisions related to resettlement benefits. In June 1989, the Government of Maharashtra issued a comprehensive resettlement policy statement covering all categories of project-affected persons. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences survey results for each village formed the vital basis for detailed resettlement and rehabilitation planning and helped in understanding the important social, cultural, and economic elements of tribal living. Successful resettlement and rehabilitation is difficult to achieve for a number of reasons.
