When a project does not involve relocation of housing, is a Resettlement Plan needed?
If assets are lost and livelihoods affected, Bank policy counts this as a resettlement effect, for which there should be a RP. Is cash the only appropriate mode of compensation for land acquisition? Cash for land acquisition has never been a satisfactory mode of compensation if it is not paid at replacement values. There is also the risk that APs might spend their cash quickly and become impoverished, or that women’s and children’s subsistence needs might not be met if cash compensation is paid to the head of the household. In many cases, land-based resettlement programs work better than non-land options. Where there is insufficient replacement land of reasonable quality, income-generating and retraining schemes may be suitable alternatives. The aim is to establish multiple options to enable APs to select the best option to restore their lost incomes. Is it necessary to consult with people affected? Yes. The people affected are ultimately the best placed to select the strategies which
