New resettlement and rehabilitation policy soon, land in exchange of land proposed: Odisha Revenue Minister

The Odisha government is mulling plans to introduce a new Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Policy in 2025, aimed at ensuring that land acquisition for projects will no longer be imposed on affected communities without their consent.

The update was shared on Monday by Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari during an interaction with media persons. He said the state has already begun the process at the government level to bring the new framework into effect.

Options Instead of Forced Compensation

Under the upcoming policy, displaced persons will have the right to choose between different forms of compensation. “If land is required for any company or project, the government will not force its plan on land losers. Instead, alternatives will be given based on their demands and convenience,” Pujari said.

The minister added that those losing land could opt to become stakeholders in the project instead of taking monetary compensation.

“Land in exchange for land will also be arranged by the government. If the affected person wants, they can take a proportional shareholding in the project in place of financial compensation,” he explained.

Participatory Decision-Making

Pujari stressed that the core principle of the new policy is participatory decision-making, stating, “The choice will be entirely with the people. The government will not impose any decision on anyone.”

The new R&R policy is also expected to address concerns of tribal communities, many of whom have expressed preference for receiving land in place of land lost, rather than cash payouts that quickly get spent without sustainable benefit.

“It has come to our notice that in cases where money is provided as compensation, it does not last for more than 3 years. Several people do not know how to set up trades and businesses and lose their compensation money,” he said.

Government’s Vision

According to officials, the state is aligning the policy with modern displacement and rehabilitation models to ensure long-term livelihood security for affected families.

The approach aims to provide multiple resettlement options, including project participation, alternative livelihood opportunities, and land-for-land exchanges, to safeguard both economic and cultural stability of communities.

“People, especially in the tribal regions, value land much more. Thus, in cases of displacement, priority will be given to provide land for land. It will directly depend on whether land is available near the displacement site. It will be optional, and people can still avail money for their land,” said Pujari.