Water Management in Major and Medium Projects

The present paper deals with the problems of water management in the surface irrigated areas based on the experience in Maharashtra. The paper reviews the prevailing management system in Maharashtra. The focus of the paper is directed more towards participative water management system as against directed water management institution having higher bureaucratic control. The approach followed for the purpose of analysis is a praclioners approach. which comes out of the experience from managing such a system. It is concluded that most of the weaknesses of the present water management systems could be remedied by assigning management to the farmers' societies. These societies can sell water on equitable basis. In other words, the users will themselves be made responsible to fix the price of water depending on its availability.