WATER GOVERNANCE IN PRACTICE: PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN IN TWO TANK IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN TAMIL NADU

Vaisakh Petchinath M; C A Sham Shankar

doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i3.2024.5178

Authors

Vaisakh Petchinath M Research Scholar, Reg. No. 21113151031005, P.G. Department of Economics & Research Centre, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil – Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli -627012, Tamil Nadu, India.
C A Sham Shankar Associate Professor, P.G. Department of Economics & Research Centre, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil – Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli -627012, Tamil Nadu, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i3.2024.5178

Keywords:

Participatory Irrigation Management (Pim), Ostrom’s Design Principles, Wua, Community Participation

Abstract [English]

This study examines the effectiveness of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) in Tamil Nadu, India, focusing on water-user associations (WUAs) as key components of decentralised water-resource governance. Traditional centralised water management systems often lead to inefficient allocation and negatively impact economic and environmental outcomes. The National Water Policy (1987) introduced participatory irrigation management (PIM) as a transformative approach, emphasising local community involvement in water resource management through subsidiarity and decentralisation principles. WUAs are crucial in facilitating community participation, overseeing irrigation operations, and resolving conflict. While numerous studies have explored tank irrigation efficiency, there is a lack of data on the performance of WUAs in Tamil Nadu. This research addresses this gap by evaluating water performance indicators and conducting a semi-structured interview analysis based on Ostrom's design principles. This study compared two WUAs in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu: Periyakulam, Veeramarthandapuram tank WUA, and Theroor tank WUA. The results indicated a significant performance disparity between the two WUAs. By identifying and analysing the superior practices of the better-performing WUA, this study contributes valuable insights that can potentially be transferred to other WUAs in the region, thereby enhancing the overall irrigation management efficiency and sustainability in Tamil Nadu.

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