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Local Appropriations of Developmental Imperatives: Notes from a Watershed Project in Odisha, Eastern India

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Abstract

On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork in a governmental watershed project in Odisha, Eastern India, this article argues that the intentions of the developmental state are not always translated transparently into the field. The intended beneficiaries and ground-level agents of this project act upon and use project structures and imperatives creatively by resorting to tactics such as lukibā [‘hiding’] and hurā [‘abuse’]. These sometimes result in equitable outcomes despite the project design, and its depoliticising imperatives. In the specific case(s) presented, structures and imperatives of the project are often mediated through vernacular ethical frameworks such as bhāg (rightful share).

Abstract

Cet article s’appuit sur le travail de terrain ethnographique conduit sur le site d’un projet gouvernemental de bassin hydrographique à Odessa, en Inde Orientale, et affirme que les intentions de l’Etat développementaliste ne sont pas toujours traduites de manière transparente dans leur mise en œuvre. Les bénéficiaires supposés de ce projet et les agents sur le terrain utilisent les structures et les impératifs du projet par le biais de tactiques telles que lukibā (se cacher), et hurā (l’abus).Ces tactiques débouchent parfois sur des résultats équitables en dépit du design du projet, et de ses impératifs de dépolitisation. Dans les cas présentés, les structures et impératifs du projet sont souvent introduits à travers des cadres éthiques vernaculaires tels que bhāg (le partage légitime).

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Acknowledgements

This article has benefited from discussions with N. Shantha Mohan, Anant Maringanti, Priya Sangameswaran, Vinay Gidwani and Rahul Mukhopadhyay. All the names of people and places, apart from the name of the project and the district, have been changed. The usual disclaimers apply.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India

    Sailen Routray

  2. Azim Premji University, Bangalore, India

    Sailen Routray

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Routray, S. Local Appropriations of Developmental Imperatives: Notes from a Watershed Project in Odisha, Eastern India. Eur J Dev Res 27, 672–685 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/ejdr.2014.51

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