Poverty and Vulnerability Amid Plenty: Perspectives of People in the Highland Forested Region of Odisha, India

Abstract

The dichotomy of poverty amid plenty paints a complex governance and policy framework from which to develop an inclusive growth agenda and avoid proven tensions between lagging regions and growth centers. Such tensions are often manifested in conflicts and masked poverty, which are camouflaged by macroindices of economic growth. Spatial disparity is evident in Odisha's highland forested region despite special federal policies and programs, prompting the need to find answers and address policy contradictions, implementation deficiencies, and the appropriateness of governance frameworks. This article unravels these issues by highlighting the perceptions of local communities in the discussion about lagging regions.