Rehabilitation of Displaced Persons in India
The category of persons who constitute the focus in this presentation are those known as “Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).” One definition of this is as follows: "persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence…and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border” They are not given as much international attention as refugees, hence the national recognition and redress of their grievance becomes important. Another reason for individual states’ responsibility is pretty obvious: unlike refugees, IDPs remain under the legal protection of their country of habitual residence and hence should enjoy the same rights as the rest of the people.
There are mainly two reasons for displacement in India: conflict-induced and development-induced. This is mainly manifested through the construction of dams and other projects undertaken for economic development. The best example for the same in India would be the ousting of the indigenous people during the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river.
A number of decisions have reflected the primary problem with regard to rehabilitation of displaced persons: the lack of a national rehabilitation policy. Keeping this in mind, the Indian Government has come up with the National Rehabilitation and Re-settlement Policy in 2007. Analysis of this policy would show what is theoretically proposed, but it is the practical implementation which would turn a dream or a politician’s empty promise into reality.
Keywords: Rehabilitation, India, Internally Displaced Persons, Refugee
West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences