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Climate change has been affecting people around the world, threatening the basic elements of life – access to water, food, health and use of land, and the basic environment. In the case of a developing country like India and her states, climate change is an additional burden because ecological and socio-economic systems are already facing pressures from rapid population, industrialization and economic development. It is in this context, this study is an overview of the climate change scenario in Odisha, its impacts, policy options available so far, and the road ahead. In view of the 1999 super cyclone that broke the economic backbone of the State, and floods, droughts and heat waves being the constant visitors to State, the State has been relatively more vulnerable to climate change over the years. These issues have the potential to derail the growth strategy and deepen poverty in the State. Climate change has the potential to exacerbate inequality and prevent economic growth. Thus, it is essential that the private sector units, civil society and government should work together to improve environmental performance while pursuing goals of sustainable economic development in Odisha. This would certainly foster a carbon-conscious, and climate resilient development path in the State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are the pre-project standard for outlining potential environmental and social risks related to large-scale mining. Incomplete or disingenuous EIAs mask the potential social, environmental and economic impacts of large projects. To examine the possible misrepresentation of project risks, this article analyses a set of EIAs for the proposed Niyamgiri mine and related Lanjigarh refinery and refinery expansion in Orissa, India. In contrast to their promises of development benefits, it is argued that the project assessments fail to acknowledge the substantial social impacts for project-affected persons as some face displacement, livelihood change, marginalization and a loss of natural resources. The issues raised here are not unique to these cases, but are representative of a flawed system in which environmental clearance is granted for projects with misleading or mis-assessed EIAs. This article questions the validation of 'development' projects via EIAs which do not thoroughly estimate the social risks and costs of projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical evaluation of the impact of the SwarnJayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) on socio-economic development of women in aquaculture in Eastern Hills of Orissa was made. A sample size of 60 women self-help groups (WSHGs) was selected from Koraput and Rayagada districts by multistage stratified random sampling method. The data on socio-economic status of the WSHGs were collected from 2006-2007 to 2008-2009. The members of the WSHGs were interviewed to collect information on their financial contribution and its expenditure pattern. There was a high significant difference between two means in yield (410.9 kg/acre, 306.1 kg/acre), employment generation (387 man-days, 277 man-days), financial contribution by the members to their families (Rs. 3,265/-, Rs. 2,490/-) and expenditure on food (Rs. 953/-, Rs. 538/-) of two groups of WSHGs-the treatment group, i.e., WSHGs under SGSY and the control group. By evaluating the level of development of the WSHGs during 2008-2009, it is revealed that 27.8% of WSHGs under SGSY achieved high level of development in economic sector against 11.9% of WSHGs in the control group. Similarly, in social sector, the percentage of WSHGs in treatment group in the category of high level of development (33%) was higher as compared to the percentage of WSHGs in the control group (11.9%). No significant difference in the development level of empowerment was found between these two groups of WSHGs. The state government should take necessary steps for increasing literacy and technical trainings of the members of the WSHGs in addition to micro-finance for successful implementation of SGSY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant segment of internal migration in India at large, and in the states of Rajasthan and Orissa in particular, continues to be distress-led. Colossal collapse of rural employment generation, the economic setbacks at cultivation, and, the largely deficient employment opportunities in urban centres among others, are believed to be the driving force bebind the rise of a more insecure type of movement now. Paradoxically however, this movement occurs in a world supplemented by a renewed belief in sanctioning equality of opportunity as a way of life, propagating fuller economic growth, and endorsing greater social cohesion (Aldridge 2001), across the socio-political spectrum. As a result, migratory processes and their subsequent impacts thereof, attains critical significance in the present times. It is in the above context that the proposed paper contextualizes migration debates within historiography, policy, and economy of the states of Orissa and Rajasthan in India, and seeks to elucidate the formidable challenges it represents for the Indian social fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]