LAND RIGHTS
p i h s r e n Ow power m E o t
L
and is a symbol of identity, and often the only source of livelihood, for marginalized people and communities in developing and underdeveloped countries. Land ownership or tenure security, depending on the category or size of land, opens up new avenues for income generation, helping them emerge out of poverty. A classic example of this phenomenon is the remote villages in the Indian states of Odisha and Rajasthan, where people have progressed immensely, thanks to better earnings due to new opportunities and a sense of ownership and empowerment brought about by land rights. As you set foot in Lamer, a small village in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, your attention is instantly drawn to a handful of dish antennas mounted on the low-lying roofs of bamboo and brick houses. There are about 65 families or 300 people in the village, and nearly half 44
www.geospatialworld.net | July-August 2019
Land rights have direct bearing on the incomes of marginalized individuals and communities, and the potential to transform their living conditions by breaking the cycle of poverty. By Avneep Dhingra
Pendapaska residents with individual land rights have started growing millet and pulses
