ABSTRACT
Reforms to the water sector in India are crucial as water resources and systems in the country are under stress. It has been nearly two decades since reforms have been initiated. Legal and institutional reforms are an integral part of the reform process and have introduced significant changes to the control of and access to water resources. These changes have had an impact on governance models, resource allocation and conservation efforts. Taken together, however, they do not provide a radically different approach to water resource management. Reforms in the past have been primarily sectoral, intermittent and hierarchical, with little or no public participation in decision making. The present set of reforms also adheres to this pattern, seeking to privilege donor expectations and demands over a crucial need for a holistic approach.
