ANNOUNCEMENTS
India saw a great upsurge in the field of irrigation development post independence. This resulted in a technocratic approach and a predominant role for the government mechanism in the field of irrigation. However, this created a distance between the government and the farmers. A need has been felt to develop an institution where there is distribution of rights and powers between the government and the local farmers. From a bureaucratic system some powers need to be given to the farmers. Water user’s association has been seen as such a mechanism. Here, some powers can be given to the farmers like in the areas of water distribution and some powers can lie with the government. There is a need for the study of internal organizational dynamics of these WUAs that can be said to be a form of decentralization in the irrigation sector where the local people are involved.
The present study seeks to understand the institutional framework of WUA with respect to farmer participation. (The term Institutional framework is used to denote the rules and regulations, composition, and organizational structure of the WUA) and understanding the patterns of interaction among the WUA member as well as among the shareholders. Drawing on insights from the research study adopting qualitative research design done in the three villages of Sonepat and Rohtak district of Haryana, this study shows that there exist different patterns of collective action in the villages. In one WUA of Sunderpur village farmer participation in true sense was found, in other it was just confined to position holders. It was seen that collective action is a socially embedded process.
The first chapter of the report is an opening segment giving background on the Haryana water scenario with special mention of Rohtak and Sonepat districts, which had been the area of my study. The next chapter presents the study findings on 3 specific cases of Irrigation Management Transfer from Haryana. This section compares/relates the 3 WUAs’ and draws some lessons for policy. The last chapter summarizes the main conclusions.
Keywords: Water & Irrigation; Haryana; Water Users Association; PIM; Watercourse; Khaal; Mori; Shareholders; Accountability; Warabandi; CADA
