@article{Gandhi:51415,
      recid = {51415},
      author = {Gandhi, Vasant P. and Crase, Lin},
      title = {New Institutional Economics, Governance and the  Performance of Water Institutions in India},
      address = {2009},
      number = {1005-2016-79236},
      series = {Contributed Paper},
      pages = {17},
      year = {2009},
      abstract = {There has been substantial water resources development for  agriculture in India but the emphasis has been mainly on  the technical side - the building of the necessary  institutions required for effective management of the  resource has received little attention. Many believe that  water resource management in India is heading for a crisis  unless the institutions and related policies are rapidly  transformed. In this light, the study examines key features  of water institutions in India, applying new institutional  economics fundamentals, as well as management theories of  good governance. The study uses a survey of 29 water  institutions and 450 farm households conducted across three  states in India which face water scarcity and have  attempted to address it through institutional efforts and  innovations. The findings indicate and help identify  important characteristics of institutional design for  creating better institutions. Findings indicate that  derived from new institutional economics fundamentals, the  stress on features such as clear objectives, good  interaction, adaptiveness, appropriateness of scale, and  compliance ability are very important for institutional  performance. They reduce transaction cost and promote  cooperative solutions, which are key contributions of good  institutions. Delivery of good governance by effective  institutionalization of technical, organizational, and  political rationalities are also very important. This  requires empowerment of bodies such as the general body,  chairman, managing committee and secretary in the  institutions. The results bring out some significant  associations and ways for enhancing institutional  performance in water resource management in India.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/51415},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.51415},
}