Displacement and Tribal Livelihood in Mining Areas of Keonjhar District in Odisha

Land is not only a tangible asset but is the mainstay of most of the rural folks as they are dependent on agriculture and allied activities. The tribal economy is also primarily agro-based and they have emotional attachment to land. But, with the opening of the tribal areas, the tribal land is being alienated to the non-tribals. Consequently, a large number of tribal cultivators have been rendered landless labourers. Decrease in the number of cultivators and increase in the number of landless labourers indicates the disturbing trend of land alienation. Shifting cultivation as the earliest form of agriculture continues to be predominantly practiced by the tribals. Though it has its own merits and demerits, it has become a way of life with them. The Constitution of India provides certain provisions to protect the interests of the Scheduled Tribes, which will also be discussed in this unit. The present study reveals the overall scenario of tribal belt with mining affected areas in Keonjhar district of Odisha and its present livelihoods in the displacement process due to land alienation