ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the gradual evolution of water sector institutions with the inclusion of relevant stakeholders, supported by policy and legislations, and argues that a transformation of tested local level institutional arrangements appears to work better than the prescribed, imposed external interventions. The Indian state of Maharashtra established an Independent Regulatory Authority in 2005 and is considered as one of the pioneering states in water sector reform in the South Asian region. Integrated Water Resources Management has been identified as the way forward to address complex issues associated with water resources development and management and, therefore, is being accepted and promoted globally. Multi-Stakeholders Processes (MSPs) has become a familiar phrase as a vehicle to promote stakeholder participation in all activities associated with water issues. MSPs aim to bring together all major stakeholders in a new form of communication and decision-finding on a particular issue.
