scholarly journals Institutional Structure, Participation, and Devolution in Water Institutions of Eastern India

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasant P. Gandhi ◽  
Nicky Johnson ◽  
Kangkanika Neog ◽  
Dinesh Jain
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Eastern India ◽  
Gangetic Plains ◽  
Government Interventions ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Water Institutions ◽  
The Government

The paper examines the nature and development of the participatory water institutions in the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains of India, focusing on the aspects of structure, participation, and devolution. Though the physical development of irrigation has made considerable progress in India, the proper management and distribution of water has poised many difficulties. The consequences of this are poor efficiency in water use, inequity in distribution, disputes, high cost, and substantial under-utilization of the potential created. On the other hand, institutional initiatives that aim to improve water management and distribution are seen in some areas/locations, and show a process of arriving at better institutional arrangements. Water institutions are crucial for eastern India and though there are a few examples of spontaneous bottom-up initiatives, much of this development is driven by external interventions including laws, policies, and government programs. Even though under the government interventions, the guidelines and policies are usually uniform and top-down, the local uptake and adoption show substantial variation and divergence and this deserves study. The research is based on review of the literature as well as on six in-depth case studies, and also responses of 510 households involved with 51 participatory water institutions in the setting of the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains states of Assam and Bihar. The paper first takes a brief look at the literature on the foundations and experiences of participatory irrigation management (PIM), and then examines through the case studies and data, the development and variation in the PIM water institution in the given setting. It examines features such as laws, membership, structure, inclusion, participation/involvement and devolution. It finds that inclusion of various groups of people in the institutions is quite good except for women and youth. However, actual involvement of different people varies substantially. The issue of devolution/decentralization versus centralization in decision-making is very important to PIM, and varies across the structure and functions. The association of involvement and devolution to performance indicates that the active involvement of some functionaries and groups is very important, and that devolution in several decisions can considerably enhance performance. The observations provide many useful insights for policy and institutional design which can help improve water resource management in the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains.

scholarly journals Enhancing Performance of Participatory Water Institutions in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains: What Can We Learn from New Institutional Economics and Governance Theories?

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasant P. Gandhi ◽  
Nicky Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Water Resource ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Institutional Development ◽  
New Institutional Economics ◽  
Ordered Probit ◽  
Gangetic Plains ◽  
Water Institutions ◽  
Institutional Features

The paper examines the performance of participatory water institutions in India’s Eastern Indo-Gangetic plains region using new institutional economics and management governance fundamentals. Water institutions are of great importance for water resource management in India’s Eastern Indo-Gangetic plains since the region has relatively abundant water but lags behind significantly in economic development and growth with a high incidence of poverty. Engineering solutions to water management have been implemented but have not given good results principally because of weak institutional development and design in the region. Effective and efficient participatory water institutions are urgently needed. The research uses concepts from new institutional economics and management governance theory to build a conceptual framework for explaining the performance of participatory water institutions. The framework identifies eight institutional rationalities: technical, environmental, economic, social, political organizational, financial and government; as well as five institutional features: clear objectives, good interaction, adaptiveness, right scale, and compliance, as linked to performance. Based on this, a survey instrument was developed and a survey conducted obtaining responses from more than 500 households across 51 such institutions in the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains states of Assam and Bihar. The data were analyzed through statistical and econometric techniques including Ordered-Probit. The results support the relevance of the concepts in explaining performance of water institutions, and a number of drivers of performance were identified through Ordered-Probit, particularly, four rationalities—technical, economic, social and organizational, (with coefficients (0.4622, 0.3803, 0.4303, 0.2457) and three institutional features—good interaction, adaptiveness and appropriate scale (with coefficients 0.4242, 0.2703, 0.6756) (based on a 5-point Likert scale), as playing a positive and significant role in enhancing performance. The results provide a number of useful insights which can help guide interventions and policy towards better design and development of the water institutions, and help improve water resource management and livelihoods in the region.

Reform of water institutions: review of evidences and international experiences

Water Policy ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (S1) ◽  
pp. 8-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Araral
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Design ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Water Rights ◽  
Institutional Reform ◽  
Fiscal Sustainability ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Supply ◽  
Theoretical Rationale ◽  
Private Sector Participation ◽  
Water Institutions

This paper provides an overview of the reform of water institutions in developing countries in the last three decades focusing on the ‘what, why and how’ of institutional reform, and outlines their implications for policy and research. The review covers four areas: (1) water rights and river basin institutions; (2) decentralized irrigation management; (3) private sector participation in urban water supply; and (4) regulation of water infrastructure. The review suggests that (a) the theoretical rationale for reforms is mostly grounded on arguments for efficiency, effectiveness and fiscal sustainability with little considerations for equity; (b) models of institutional design varies from incremental to comprehensive; and (c) implementation experiences among countries are mixed, given the conditional nature of institutional reform; and (d) changes in elite perception holds the key to reform.

Electronic Communication in the Paradigm of Interaction of State and Society

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-17
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Communication ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Digital Environment ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Communication Law ◽  
State And Society ◽  
Legal Communication ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Right

In recent decades, the phenomenon of mass electronic communication has been studied by various sciences. The right also turned out to be included in a similar discourse. Communication in the digital environment is the reason for the interaction of previously distant segments of society. In modern law, the concept of electronic communication remains in a certain sense debatable, it is often identified with legal communication. At the same time, electronic communication has an additional «dimension». The globalization of the information space encourages legal scholars to study electronic communication as the action and interaction of various actors, based on Internet technologies using web services, portals, blogs, websites, social networks. There is a need for re- levant legal regulation of the informational interaction between the authorities and society in the Republic of Belarus, in connection with which a new «field» is opening up for activities in various areas of law. The meaning of electronic communication is constantly expanding and, depending on the specialization, even varies. For an adequate understanding of electronic communication, law must take into account the tools of other humanities. In contact with the digital environment, legal science is called upon to reformat research tasks to explain the new empirical and theoretical experience associated with the transformation of the paradigm of interaction between the state and society in the network structures. The author comprehends these issues in relation to the conditions of development of e-government in the Republic of Belarus and the need for more active involvement of the public in the government.

Improvement of environmental health and hygiene practices - case study in the Northern Province

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Mathegana ◽  
L. K. Chauke ◽  
F. A.O. Otieno
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Northern Province ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Proper Training ◽  
The Government ◽  
Better Than

The primary purpose of an improved water supply and sanitation is the achievement of acceptable health and hygiene standards as well as the sustainable improvement of the environment. Many governments recognize this and so they budget for large sums of money to improve these services to the communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the different gaps in environmental health and hygiene practices with the aim of suggesting a strategy of improving this in the Northern Province of South Africa. To do this, 231 households and 30 schools were surveyed. Workshops and visits to different government departments were also used. This paper reports the results from this study which indicate that the situation in schools was not any better than that in households, with more than 90% of the villages still dependent on the unimproved pit latrines and 56,6% relying on standpipes which were (70% of the time) non-operational. The main problems identified seem to those associated with implementation and maintenance. The study concludes that with proper training of the water committees and their active involvement with the government and NGOs, environmental health and hygiene problems can be minimized or eliminated.

Comparison of the effects of the food supplementation programmes of ICDS centers and primary schools at Bali Gram Panchayat, Arambagh, West Bengal, India

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 232-246
Author(s):  
Gopal Chandra Mandal ◽  
Kaushik Bose ◽  
Slawomir Koziel
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
The Government ◽  
Better Than

Purpose – Developing countries like India, accounts for about 40 percent of undernourished children in the World and it is largely due to the result of dietary inadequacy in relation to their needs. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the changes in the nutritional status of the children, from their preschool days to the present primary school days. Design/methodology/approach – The present investigation was conducted at 20 Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) centers (Center-A) and 15 primary schools (Center-B) in Bali Gram Panchayat, Arambag, Hooghly District of West Bengal, India, at an interval of three to four years. A total of 1,012 children (boys=498; girls=514) aged two to six years old enrolled in these ICDS centers and a total of 603 children (boys=300, girls=303), aged five to ten years were studied from the 15 primary schools who were the beneficiaries of ICDS centers. Underweight (weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ)) and wasting (weight-for height Z-score (WHZ)) were used to assess the nutritional status. Findings – The nutritional situation (both in case of underweight and wasting) was better in Center B as compared with Center A. In general, the nutritional condition of boys was better than girls. Center had a very significant effect on both WAZ as well as WHZ, irrespective of age and sex. Sex has a significant impact only on WAZ. Interestingly, there was no significant sex-center interaction for both WAZ as well as WHZ. The children of the area were getting Mid Day Meal supplied through the school authorities which was comparatively better than the ICDS centers’ food supplementation. Better monitoring of nutritional supplementation at primary schools may be an important factor. Practical implications – In ICDS centers, only the Anganwari worker is responsible in running and implementing the programs offered by the Government. However, at primary schools, the active involvement of all the teachers to run the program may have effectively led to have better results. Furthermore, the Government's focus should not be only on the increase the area covered by the ICDS program, but focus should be to increase the quality of food supplied, proper monitoring of the implementation and increase the allocation of funds. Appropriate measures may be taken by the authorities regarding this. Originality/value – The results of the study will help in policy making in reducing the prevalence of undernutrition.

Privatizing Welfare Services

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Jordahl ◽  
Mårten Blix
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Welfare Services ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Upper Secondary Education ◽  
Service Production ◽  
The Government

The Swedish welfare state is known for providing extensive services to its citizens. Much less well known is that a fair amount of the services are delivered by private for-profit firms. The first steps of privatization were taken in the mid-1980s for childcare services at the municipal level, and the government often found itself scrambling to introduce regulation afterwards. Other sectors were subsequently privatized, most notably through an extensive voucher scheme to provide choice in compulsory and upper-secondary education. A key question throughout this process has been how to maintain the Swedish egalitarian ethos while undergoing extensive privatization. How has the country managed to reap the benefits from market forces without endangering equitable outcomes? The Swedish system is no middle road between socialism and capitalism. Instead, it is more akin to a large-scale laboratory for institutional design with lessons that should be of broad relevance to other countries aiming to get high-quality welfare services while containing costs. Focusing on what others can learn from Sweden, the book makes accessible original research on schools, health care, and elderly care. The privatization of service production has occurred despite major political controversy between two competing visions for the welfare state. Successful experiments have spread organically to neighbouring municipalities. What was done well in this process and what were the mistakes? The book addresses the fundamental economic challenges, the trends of the future, and the implications for institutional design

scholarly journals Public and Private Ownership in the Iranian Constitution: Principle 44, A Barrier for Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Ahmad Torabi
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Economic Impacts ◽  
Private Ownership ◽  
Public Ownership ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Third ◽  
Public Property ◽  
Legal Challenges ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Government

The Iranian legislator has sought to protect public property and public ownership in the Iranian Constitution in accordance with Islamic principles, terms and procedures. There are a number of principles that have been directly applied to this purpose; however, one principle has had a very significant impact on government domination of the economy of Iran: principle 44. This principle does not directly describe public property; rather, it aims to determine the areas that are under public ownership and are administered by the government. However, the principle has some contradictions and legal challenges in itself. In addition, the supplementary law that has been enacted to provide the areas for the enforcement of principle 44 fails to secure the aims of the legislator. Therefore, this paper analyses legal challenges of the principle, as well as its supplementary law, and gives suggestions to solve the challenges.This paper is divided into four sections. The first section provides an analysis of the principle itself, and its relationship and consistency with other principles of the constitution. In the second section, the Law of Implementation of Principle 44 and the legal challenges that arise from it will be discussed. The third section focuses on the negative economic impacts of this law, as well as case studies of it. Lastly, the paper provides a summary of suggestions to amend this law.

scholarly journals Nepal: Food Security, a Localized Institutional Irrigation Perspective on Public Irrigation Systems

2012 ◽  
pp. 95-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Upendra Gautam
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Institutional Development ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Irrigated Area ◽  
Social Insecurity ◽  
The Government ◽  
Agriculture Extension

Oriental philosophers have given top priority to food for orderly state affairs as well as personal wellbeing. In past, Nepal had a strong agricultural economy based on indigenous Farmer Managed Irrigation System (FMIS). State policy helped promote these systems. But contemporary Nepal opted for state control on irrigation water by building large scale public irrigation systems. In the last 43 years of planned development (1957-2002), the government has spent 70% of US$1.3 billion on these systems, covering 30% of the irrigated area in the country; the remaining 70% is with the FMIS. Despite the investment, these systems neither promoted themselves as an enterprise nor helped enhance agricultural productivity leading to social insecurity. This social insecurity is reflected in the country's increasing import of food, mass workforce exodus for employment abroad, and added socio-economic vulnerability due to climate change.Donor and government recommendations centered on (i) expansion of irrigated area, (ii) irrigation management transfer, and (iii) agriculture extension seem to have failed in Nepal. These failures asked for alternative institutional development solutions, whereas public irrigation systems are (i) localized to establish system's operational autonomy with ownership and governance, (ii) treated as a rich resource-base with water, land and labor, and (iii) recognized as cooperative enterprise of local stakeholders by law with authorities to enter into joint actions with relevant partners for promoting commercialization and environmental quality of irrigated agriculture.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hn.v11i1.7223 Hydro Nepal Special Issue: Conference Proceedings 2012 pp.95-99

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