Local Organizations in Decentralized Development : Their Functions and Performance in India

Local organizations have become key mechanisms in effective, fair, and sustainable resource management in India. Two debates dominate discourse on the roles of local organizations in decentralized development: first, on how to ensure they function effectively, fairly, and sustainably; and second, on the relative roles of different organizations - including elected local governments, administrative line departments, and nongovernmental organizations. This book adds empirical evidence to these debates, and suggests that in practice, they can not be separated. Based on research on local organizations in India, involved in three sectors: rural women's development and empowerment; rural drinking water supply and sanitation; and, watershed development, in the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttaranchal, the authors' findings indicate that the design of, and support for local organizations are often little more than rudimentary, resulting in less than adequate performance, and raising serious sustainability concerns. The study further indicates that sector-specific configurations of a plural organizational landscape, in which government and private organizations are an integral part, are required for effective and sustainable development.