Hunger Amidst Plenty: Locating Vulnerability in a Resource-Rich Region in India

Abstract

This paper illustrates how politics on resource entitlement have historically shaped the vulnerable condition of people in Nuapada district (formerly Nawapara sub-division of Kalahandi district) of Orissa, India. It finds that the underutilisation of existing resources in the district, backed by loopholes in district administration, has widened the vulnerability conditions of local people. The collapse of the state command economy during post-economic reform and the subsequent withdrawal of welfare state from welfare activities, which opens space for elite groups and middlemen to exploit both resources and local people, have caused serious disruption in the development of the district as evident from the declining livelihood options and increasing distress migration. Thus there is a need to bring reform in equitable distribution of resources at the state level.

Livelihoods, Poverty and Development of Adivasis: Reflections from a Village in South India

“…In his recent paper, Sahoo (2014) vividly explains that ‘globalization has resulted in increasing inequality and marginalization of the poor and further argues that rolling back of the welfare measures and the demise of developmentalism led to the mobilization of the masses across India against the exploitative agenda of globalization’. Further, Sabar’s (2016) study illustrates how politics on resource entitlement have historically shaped the vulnerable condition of the tribal people and finds that the underutilization of existing resources backed by loopholes has widened the vulnerable conditions. He also mentioned that the collapse of the state command economy and subsequent withdrawal of the state from the welfare agenda that led to the exploitation of the resources have caused the serious disruption in the development.…”