Water and Agricultural Competitiveness

Reforming State Institutions - Water and Agricultural Competitiveness

Mon, Mar 30, 2009

This is from the internet. Is there any successful examples on reforming institutions at the state level? -- that's a good question.

I think there are several instances, small, small success stories that we can tell. In fact, I have a paper, in this we find areas where there are positive changes. One is actually the recent, the [inaudible] delivery system, in [?], where their water rate system is being introduced. And the other thing is that in several states, the water rates have been increased, increased which is not to the tune which is needed, but at least there is a change. And also, the institutional change or reform is a very long-term process, so you're not apt to see the final result that will be long-term. But in between, we could see some small kind of indicators or signs. One of the signs is the changing language of policy makers. You know, earlier they will not commit for, say, privatization of water delivery system or something. But actually there is a committee, the government of India established the committee in 1995, to study the issue of privatizing water development and provisions. So this is how the changes are happening, small small darts here and there, then eventually you know they become small blocks, and the change happens that way. So there are several instances that we can cite, including those initiated by farmers themselves. One of the instances, the water markets, which is widely practiced in many parts of the country, and there are estimates that up to fifty percent of the area indicated in ground(?) water regions may be due to water marketing. So to that extent there is some (inaudible) benefits are there. Thank you.