Resettlement & Rehabilitation
Tata Steel’s mining and manufacturing operations in India, primarily located in Jharkhand and Odisha, have historically necessitated the relocation of communities, which has been done while striving to minimise inconvenience to affected communities. The Company has not made any new land acquisition with associated Resettlement & Rehabilitation (R&R) in recent years.
R&R Policy and Approach
The R&R experience, within a larger emerging social context, has also led to the formulation of Tata Steel’s Business and Human Rights Policy, which recognises communities impacted by the Company’s operations as one of six priority rightsholder groups while also recognising ‘land rights settlement and rehabilitation’ as a salient and priority human rights issue across the business. The implementation of this policy is governed by an Apex Human Rights Committee comprising senior leadership of the Company.
Minimizing the Impact of Displacement
Tata Steel endeavours to minimize the acquisition of land resulting in physical or economic displacement. The expansion of steel production capacity at Tata Steel Kalinganagar is a shining case of this intent. During the Phase 2 expansion of Kalinganagar, no further acquisition of land was needed as Tata Steel utilised the existing land through the implementation of the expansion. This resulted in no further physical or economic displacement for communities.
Eligibility and Entitlement of Displaced Families
A Committee consisting of the representatives of the Steel Plants, IDCO (Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation) and State Government (Collector of the District or his representative) shall conduct joint enquiry to determine the number of displaced persons using the eligibility criteria. For such determination, the cut-off date was considered as per guideline and any grievances related to list of displaced persons have to be submitted to district administration office in the stipulated time. This ensures timely communication to the displaced family.
The state government discloses/notifies in advance the list of displaced families based on eligibility under section 4(1) of Land Acquisition Act in respect of area/village through wide communication in public by displaying notice in government offices and institutions, and through print media.
The eligibility for the displaced family or person was the following: -
- All the land of the family has been acquired,
- More than 1/3rd of the land, along with homestead land has been acquired,
- Only homestead land has been acquired,
- Homesteadless persons and landless persons residing in the village who have been/are likely to be displaced.
Definition of family for the purpose of rehabilitation and displaced person: -
- Husband and wife, as the case may be, and their unmarried children but does not include a major son (s) who have been separated from the family on or before the date of notification under section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in respect of area/village. In such a case, the major son (s) shall be treated as a separate family.
- The unmarried daughter above 30 years of age will be treated as a separate family for the purpose of rehabilitation benefits.
- An identity card to such a displaced family shall be issued by the Collector, Jajpur, under joint signature of the Collector, Jajpur and the Head of the family concerned indicating all detailed particulars as per the format given below: -
- Name of the village/G.P/P.S.
- Name, Father's name and address of the Head of the family.
- Name of other member in the family, with indication of the nominee who may be offered a job in the project.
- Whether S.C/S.T/S.E.B.C/Unreserved.
- A passport-size photograph to be affixed herewith attested by the Collector or his authorised officer.
The various entitlement benefits are communicated through the district administration and Resettlement and Rehabilitation department Tata Steel during meetings with displaced families.
Although there is a national R&R policy framework in India, each state has specific guidelines based on the needs and contexts of local communities. Tata Steel complies with the relevant government R&R regulations and strives to minimise disruption to the lives of affected communities while improving their quality of life through comprehensive R&R packages, often exceeding social and economic regulatory requirements. Some instances are as follows:
- Scholarships for a wide range of courses to help nominated family members improve their qualifications for employment.
- Free primary education for children from affected communities.
- Free healthcare support at multi-speciality hospitals and through referral services.
- Establishment and maintenance of R&R colonies for displaced families, equipped with essential community infrastructure such as all-weather motorable roads, drainage systems, piped water connections, household electric connections, street lighting, solid waste and garbage management facilities, community centres, burial/cremation grounds, dispensaries, playgrounds, greenery, and areas for traditional religious worship.
- Development of economic self-reliance among women as well as entrepreneurs to participate in the Company's value chain.
- Preserving the cultural heritage, identity, and language of Indigenous peoples within affected communities.
- Addressing all community grievances that emerge periodically as a result of physical and economic displacement.
Strategic Focus and Talent Allocation for R&R
Tata Steel’s resettlement and rehabilitation plan is based on the Kalinganagar Industrial Complex R&R Guidelines 2005 as a baseline. Tata Steel started the resettlement and rehabilitation process with voluntary significant additional benefits in line with the Company ethos to improve the lives of communities and contribute to nation-building. Aligned with this philosophy, the ‘Tata Steel Parivaar’ was launched in May 2006 with the key objective ‘for a better tomorrow’ for each member of the communities displaced/affected by the TSK project.
The Company has strong, qualified social impact teams who work on local development challenges, build social capital, and engage in dialogue with communities at each location long before a project comes on board or the commencement of R&R at a location. A specialised team is also designated at each location to drive the R&R process to minimise disruption and share information relevant to displacement for the affected communities. The eligibility details for entitlements and benefits are shared with them in advance as part of the project’s planning process to enable the community to make thoughtful decisions for a better future.
The Company’s annual plans set out activities, outcomes, and responsibilities for the R&R process, subject to management reviews with a pre-defined cadence. The above strategies and plans derive from benchmarking with agencies, models, and concepts from foremost thought leaders, and industry practices on the subject.
The ‘Tata Steel Parivaar’ initiative strives for a better tomorrow for each community member displaced or affected by the Company’s projects. It emphasises providing emotional and psychological support to every person who is being relocated, guided by the following principles:
- Reassuring communication emphasising long-term outcomes
- Resettling the displaced population with care
- Rehabilitation to ensure a better quality of life, income and happiness
- Re-check implementation through continuous monitoring and assessment process
The Company remains committed to its legacy of pioneering societal outcomes for communities, including those affected by R&R efforts for our past and future projects.
Tata Steel undertook social impact assessments engaging Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). To engage deeply with to-be-displaced families and to elicit support for social mobilization for the TSK project, Tata Steel employees and some credible Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) carried out sustained communication and counselling with particular focus on the most resistant individuals and groups. Tata Steel R&R team had to work with the implications for the resettlement process emerging from each social event in the community. The communities are overwhelmingly from indigenous tribes with various religious and cultural practices requiring community consultations, given the sensitivity of traditional belief systems.
Grievance Handling for the Tata Steel Parivaar (Displaced) Families
Addressing community grievances is a sensitive process of ensuring the pain points of people are heard and acted upon. Tata Steel R&R team manages grievances at two levels: -
- Internally, by Tata Steel on a day-to-day basis as a process of engaging with the community and its issues as an ongoing relationship with Tata Steel Parivaar families.
- Externally by a credible and independent Grievance Redressal Group (GRG), it keeps watch on resettlement-related grievances and facilitates multi-level consultations involving all stakeholders for the TSK project
Periodic Audit and Assessment of Resettlement Action Plans and Livelihood Restoration Plans
Presently, day-to-day grievances related to displaced member colony maintenance and other social issues, are managed through grievance management system. Further, colony-level and apex-level community leaders committees also discuss larger issues, including the Resettlement Action Plan, Livelihood Restoration Plan and overall community and peripheral development. The committees interact with Tata Steel once a month to review the progress of R&R and other issues. In addition, at the Jajpur District Administration level, there is a grievance forum where the Additional District Magistrate office ensures that grievances from communities are addressed either by Tata Steel or by the Government of Odisha.
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