USERS IN WATER MANAGEMENT: The Andhra Model and its Replicability in India

Water sector reforms are underway in many countries of the world today. Mexico, Turkey and Philippines are some of the countries where the concept of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) has been tried and tested. In India, Andhra Pradesh is the first state to introduce PIM throughout the state. Today, the Andhra model is being watched with great interest and is being replicated in other states of India as well.

This volume puts together some of the best research studies on the PIM programme being implemented in Andhra Pradesh. These give an insight into the political processes behind the reforms, the administrative, institutional and management issues, and finally based on the analysis, the way forward for the programme in Andhra Pradesh and a cumulative learning experience for other states in India and the world to incorporate and implement. The book has not only tackled theoretical issues and concepts but also practical ground level realities regarding PIM.

This is the first major research publication on the water sector reforms underway in Andhra Pradesh and will serve as a source book to anyone desiring to learn more about PIM. It will benefit both the research as well as practicing community, specifically those in the areas of policy making, irrigation management, rural development, engineering, social and agricultural sciences and the NGO community involved in water management issues not only in India but also across the world.

Rakesh Hooja is Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi.

Ganesh Pangare is CEO, Indian Network on Participatory Irrigation Management, New Delhi.

K.V. Raju is Senior Fellow, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on Environment and Development, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.