ABSTRACT
In many developing countries, population displacement because of development projects has been a prominent feature in tribal, rural and urban areas. Economic development tends to depend on the creation of new infrastructure in order to cater to the increasing needs of growing population. The indigenous groups of people are not well considered during the planning process and their wishes about the development and resettlement are not properly acknowledged. In Andhra Pradesh during the year 2004, the Government has about thirty irrigation projects in progress on a massive scale under the programme ‘JALAYAGNAM’ (irrigation initiative). Displacement or the involuntary relocation of people has come to be acknowledged as one among the most significant negative impacts of large water resources development projects such as dams. The magnitude of displacement is very high in Andhra Pradesh. Several development projects, unlike in most other states in India, were initiated in the erstwhile Nizam-ruled State.
