Name: Arjun Mukherjee
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Vol-11, No.2, July-Dec-2026
Page Number: 209-218
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22269784

ABSTRACT
The struggle against land acquisition in Singur became one of India’s most prominent conflict over industrialisation, agricultural land and development-induced displacement. While the Supreme Court judgment of 2016 restored ownership of the acquired land to farmers, the long-term consequences of the acquisition for the people affected by it remained insufficiently examined. This paper studies these consequences through qualitative fieldwork conducted in Khasherberi; one of the most severely affected villages during the acquisition process. Drawing on in-depth interviews with landed and landless households, the study examines changes in operational holdings, agricultural livelihoods, women’s work and the impact of post-acquisition compensation and welfare measures. The findings reveal a significant gap between the restoration of landownership and the restoration of agricultural livelihoods. Much of the returned land remains uncultivable or difficult to cultivate because of industrial debris, concrete structures, ecological changes and the costs associated with land rehabilitation. Consequently, operational holdings have declined even where ownership has been restored. The reduction in cultivable land has weakened agriculture as a source of livelihood and food security, while pushing both landed and landless households towards insecure non-farm occupations. The study further demonstrates that these transformations have distinct gendered consequences. Women who previously participated in cultivation, livestock management and pre- and post-harvest activities have experienced a loss of such roles and mobility, with few transitioning towards poorly paid and physically demanding home-based work. The findings suggest that displacement must therefore be understood beyond physical relocation or legal dispossession. The Singur case demonstrates how land acquisition can generate prolonged economic, ecological and gendered displacement even after land has formally been returned.

Keywords: Singur; land acquisition; development-induced displacement; rural livelihoods; women’s agricultural labour; West Bengal