SOCIAL DIFFERENCE AND WATER-RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - INSIGHTS FROM KUTCH, INDIA

The article focuses on the interface between water resources managemen t and social and power relations. It shows that the propagators of bot h macro and micro-level water interventions have flawed notions of loc al institutions and the 'community'. As a result, new water interventi ons could often end up perpetuating existing skewed power relations. T he case study from Kutch, India, highlights how the process of resourc es management is often one of competing claims and inequality. Hence, the study argues that for issues such as equity and social justice to be addressed in water schemes, there is a need for implementing agenci es to be aggressively partisan in targeting the marginalised and socia lly excluded groups.