Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The twenty-first century witnessed the unfolding of multiple water challenges and addressing these challenges will require a substantial shift in the way we manage our resources. The fundamental principles underlying any fruitful governance reform are: a) Inclusion, b) Sustainability and c) Institutional culture.

1. Inclusion is about identifying the unreached people in the society.

2. Sustainability has three dimensions a) Natural, b) Financial, c) Human Resources.

As experienced in Tamil Nadu, a change management approach in the water sector, sustainable positive changes in financial aspects and human elements is achievable. The changed paradigm of water delivery was put into practice in 450 villages across Tamil Nadu by the Change Management Group of Engineers of the Tamilnadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) who behaved as community members resulting in increased sense of involvement and ownership.

3. Finally, change is about transforming ‘Institutional Culture’. The officials of the ‘Change Management Group’ belonging to multiple departments associated with water in Tamil Nadu have collaborated to set up a ‘Centre of Excellence for Change Management (CECM)’ towards improving the service delivery of the critical resources with a Vision to ‘Secure Water and Food for all forever’.

Keywords

water governance water crisis sustainability change management

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

(n.d.).Water resources and distribution. In Encyclopedia of the developing world (pp. 1687). Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_resources, accessed on 20 January 2013.

Amarasinghe

Upali A.

Shah

Tushaar

Malik

R. P.S.

(2008). India’s water future scenarios and issues. Proceedings of the workshop. Analyses of Hydrological, Social and Ecological Issues of the National River Linking Project (NRLP). Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Byrnes

Grosskopf

Hayes

(1986). Efficiency and ownership: Further evidences. Review of Economics and Statistics 68(2), 337–41 Cambridge: The MIT press,. Available at http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1925517?uid=3738256&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21101700322137 accessed on 20 January 2013.

Briscoe

John

Malik

R.P.S.

(2006). India’s Water Economy: Bracing for a turbulent future. The World Bank Report. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Chatterjee

Rama

Purohit

Raja Ram

(2009). Estimation of replenishable ground water resources of India and their status of utilization. Current Science, 96(12), 1581–91.

David

(2007). Water for food, water for life: A comprehensive assessment of water management in Agriculture. International Water Management Institute, London, UK: Earthscan Publication.

Estache

Rossi

M.A.

(2002). How different is the efficiency of public and private water companies in Asia?. World Bank Economic Review, 16(1), p. 139.

GoI (2008). Eleventh five year plan (2007–2012). Planning Commission, Government of India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Gray

David

(n.d.). India’s water story observed. World Bank. Available at www.waterandclimatefuture.com/template.php?subcid=0&cid=36

10.

Hall

Lobina

(2006). Pipe Dreams- The failure of the private sector to invest in water services in developing countries. Public Services International and the World Development.

11.

Hoekstra

A.Y.

Chapagain

A.K.

(2005). Water resource management, water footprints of nations: Water use by people as a function of their consumption pattern. Springer Science + Business Media, B.V. 2006.

12.

James

A.J.

(2006). External evaluation of democratization of water management project the Tamil Nadu experiment (India). Report submitted to Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board in March 2007. Chennai.

13.

Nayar

(2007). ‘Confluence of ideas and organisations’. Chennai: Centre of Excellence for Change.

14.

Nayar

(2009). Water is the climate change. The Hindu, 20 December.

15.

Nayar

(2010). Improving efficiency of rural drinking water delivery service: An approach paper. International Journal of Water Resources Development.

16.

Nayar

Suresh

(2007). Democratisation of water management: The Tamil Nadu experiment with governance reform. going public southern solutions to the global water crisis. World Development Movement.

17.

Nayar

Suresh

(2008). Global water crisis: Partnerships for the future, The Hindu (Chennai).

18.

Palaniyappan

Gleick

(2010). Peak water limits to freshwater withdrawal and use. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 107(25),11155–62.

19.

TNI&CEO (2005). Reclaiming public water. Amsterdam, Netherland: Transnational Institute (TNI) & Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO).

20.

United Nations (2009). Facts and figures: Water in a changing world. The United Nations World Water Development Report. 07 FF Compilation UNESCO.Indd. Available at webword.unesco.org/water/wwdr/wwdr3/pdf/WWDR3/Facts_and_Figure.pdf, accessed on 20 January 2013.

21.

United Nations (dt). Fact and figures: Water in a changing world. The United Nations World Water Development Report 3.

22.

Water for Food – ICID Perceptions on Water for food.

23.

WBCSD (2006). Facts and trends: Water. Geneva, Switzerland: World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

24.

World Bank (2006). Little green data book. World Bank Report No. 34750-IN – India’s Water Economy. The World Bank. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.