Nilesh Dahegaonkar and S. Vijay Kumar
Published in Vol.16, 2026
KEYWORDS: Development Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR), Social change, Occupational mobility, Informal Economy
ABSTRACT:
Development-Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR) is a concept used in sociology and development studies to understand and address the socio-economic effects on communities that are forced to change their habitation to make way for large-scale infrastructure or economic projects. This concept is used to study how forced changes in habitation can bring about a social change in the community. The DIDR framework states that displacement is not just a physical location change; but a profound change that forces communities to abandon traditional modes of income and look for new economic systems. Engaging with DIDR, this paper examines the socio-economic transformations of rural communities situated between industrial extraction area and ecological conservation zone. Using Padmapur, a village in the mineral resource-rich Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, we analyse the consequences of development-induced displacement. The research examines how change in area of habitation reshapes livelihood patterns, social relations, and economic strategies. It also explores the role of ideological mobilization among marginalized groups, particularly the influence of the Ambedkarite movement, in reshaping social consciousness within the village. Consequently, the study highlights a broader pattern of occupational mobility, as residents increasingly shift from agriculture to non-agricultural occupations in Padmapur village.