Browsing by Author "Menon, Sudha Venu"

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Challenges to Decentralization of Watershed Management: The Case of New South Wales, Australia
(ICFAI University Press, 2008) Fidelman, Pedro; Menon, Sudha Venu; Pillai, P. A.
"Decentralization includes different types of policy reforms aiming to shift powers from centralized to more localized institutions. It has gained increasing support, particularly in the realm of natural resources management (NRM). Moving towards more decentralized forms of NRM can, however, involve remarkable institutional challenges. Understanding the factors that can facilitate and/or constrain decentralization is, therefore, critical in overcoming such challenges, as well as (re)designing and implementing more suitable policies. In Australia, catchment management - a watershed management initiative - is an example of moving decision-making for NRM from the State to the catchment (watershed) level. New South Wales (NSW) was the first Australian State to adopt, in the late 1980s, catchment management as a state-wide statutory policy. Catchment management has since undergone a number of institutional changes. Specific legislation, for instance, has been introduced and reformed, such as the Catchment Management Act 1989, the Catchment Management Regulation 1999, and the Catchment Management Authorities Act 2003. Consequently, Catchment Management Committees, which operated in the 1990s were replaced by Catchment Management Boards in 2000, which in turn, have recently been replaced with Catchment Management Authorities. This paper summarizes some of the findings from a broader study on the NSW catchment management initiative (see Fidelman, 2006), and examines decentralized approaches to NRM as part of such a NSW initiative. Building on the Ostrom's institutional rule sets and the recent theorizing on decentralization of NRM, an evaluative framework was developed to examine catchment management in NSW."
Decentralised Governance and De-Bureaucratisation in Madhya Pradesh
(2007) Menon, Sudha Venu
"The main objective of this paper is to examine the role of bureaucracy as a negative factor in empowerment of people through Panchayati Raj in Madhya Pradesh. Section one gives a brief introduction of PRIs in MP since 73rd amendment Act and features of MP Panchayati Raj Act. Section two examines the extent of de-bureaucratization in MP in terms of devolution of powers. The paper argues that bureaucratic attitude towards PRI is conditioned by caste, gender, and social status of sarpanchs rather than institutional mandates to strengthen PRIs. This negative attitude often resulted in delay of fund allocation, indifference towards decisions of Gramsabha, making official procedure complex, etc. Strategies are needed to facilitate better and effective cooperation from the bureaucracy. Corruption has the potential to de-legitimize the system; therefore strong mechanisms of accountability from below and top are needed."
Globalization, State and Disempowerment: A Study of Cotton Farmers' Suicide in Warangal
(2007) Menon, Sudha Venu
"The ideology of globalization and its practice based on neo-liberal paradigm has played a vital role in re-arranging the architecture of global economic and political order. Central to this new economic dispensation is a shift in the role of the state, particularly in its commitment towards the mass of the people from where it supposed to drives its strength according to democratic traditions. Supporters of Globalization often believes that inflow of foreign capital, advanced technology, market economy and the resultant economic growth will automatically take care of issues of social justice and equity. However these claims seem to be meaningless in the present global economic order based on wide disparities in power relations and resource distribution. There exists a dramatic paradox between the theoretical discourse on global economic growth and prosperity, and the naked reality of impoverishment, social exclusion and disempowerment affecting vast majority of marginalized groups in society. Against this background, the present paper seeks to explore the relationship among the three-core concept of Globalization, Nation state and Disempowerment in the context of neo liberal agenda and Indian states commitment to Structural Adjustment Programme. The paper doesn't criticize Globalization perse, but try to project how global integration follows high social cost, especially in the absence of stable, effective and efficient economic base."
Grass-Root Democracy and Empowerment of People: Evaluation of Panchayati Raj in India
(2007) Menon, Sudha Venu
"The article mainly focuses on the effectiveness of 73rd Constitutional amendment in securing empowerment of people. The article tries to capture the efforts of various states to implement panchayati Raj system and makes a comparative study of performance of states in terms of people's participation, capacity building, de-bureaucratization and decentralization of powers. The salient features of 73rd Amendment Act including reservation of seats, provision for separate election commission and finance commission, gramsabha, taxes, periodic elections etc are discussed. More over it examines the initiatives of state governments towards democratic decentralization and highlights special programmes initiated by Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh etc. to make the system effective. The article critically evaluates the effectiveness of PRIs as a system of governance for increased people's participation empowerment and social change. Here attempt is made to incorporate the results of impact assessment studies conducted by World Bank. Concluding section highlights the need for revitalizing the system through integrating NREGP [National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme] and NRHM [National Rural Health Mission]."
Northeast India and Globalization: The Way Ahead
(2007) Menon, Sudha Venu
The present paper attempts to analyze the potential of Northeast in the context of economic liberalization and transnational co-operation. The paper argues that the need for a holistic and inclusive policy towards NER should focus on 3 aspects: Political, Economic, Transnational. Political approach should focus on approaching security and ethnicity related issues beyond law and order dimension; creation of viable conflict management system based on consensus among civil society, government ethnic groups and tribal; transparency and efficiency in administration giving representation to local people, strengthening participatory institutions like panchayati Raj etc. Economic dimension include creation of a sound investment climate through various incentive measure, increased public investment in physical and social infrastructure, cluster development for small scale industries, development of SEZs, training and assistance for local entrepreneurs, insurance policy for investors, promotion of tourism, credit delivery, alternative livelihood options and efficient management of natural resources. Transnational dimension include confidence building measures with neighboring countries on trade and national security related issues, water and power sharing agreements, export and import promotion initiatives, initiatives towards southeast Asia-South Asia free trade zone, building road networks between selected neighbors to promote trade and accessibility to market.
Participatory Approach to Community Health: Sustainable Strategy from India
(2007) Menon, Sudha Venu
"In social development and health sector, India's performance is still lagging behind many Sub-Saharan African countries. There are also disparities between the urban and rural sectors and between privileged upper class and the socially disadvantaged groups. Widespread illiteracy, avoidable morbidity, premature mortality and deep-seated inequality of opportunity are still prevailing in India. India's achievements in dealing with life expectancy, elementary education, nutritional well being, protection from illness, social security and consumption levels has been substantially and systematically out passed by many other developing countries. Compared to other countries, social sector expenditure is negligible in India, especially when compared it with UNDP recommended ratio. In the case of Indian state we can see that accelerated growth rate does not to have led to a corresponding change in living condition of rural poor. Here lies the importance of participatory mode of approach. The provision of social security cannot rely exclusively either on market forces or on the state initiative. There is an urgent need for participation in the distribution of social security measure. The move towards participatory growth calls for an integrated view of the process of economic expansion. The UN has defined community participation as 'the creation of opportunity to enable all members of a community and the larger society to actively contribute to and influence the development process to share equitable the fruits of development.' This participatory mode of development views village community as the site for intervention. In this process it has to mediate through agencies working at that level. This is most commonly done through NGOs. "In this broader context of Indian state's commitment to liberalization, present paper attempts to study the participatory intervention of NGO in community health. For a detailed study, success story of AWARE - NGO working among the marginalized people in rural Andhra Pradesh is selected. The paper does not project NGO as viable alternative to fill the space vacated by state. But it only tries to establish that the objective of 'Health for All' can be achieved only through community participation. The present paper is divided into 4 parts. The first part briefly outlines health sector performance and trends during the post reform era and its outcomes. The second part analyses the status of health sector in Andhra Pradesh, major indicators and initiatives. The third part in detail discusses the sustainable strategy of AWARE and its impact on health sector in rural Andhra. The final part contains major findings and concluding remarks."
Sustainable Practices in Watershed Management: Global Experiences
(2007) Menon, Sudha Venu
From p. 1: "Recently, participation of people has become a core component of watershed management programmes. As FAO [Food and Agricultural Organization] rightly remarked, 'The pendulum appears to be swinging in support of empowerment of people with regard to conservation of natural resources. Application of the integrated participatory approach has created, in some instances, social environments where varied cultures are working together to manage their natural resources on watersheds.' Thus, the process of stakeholder centric watershed management programme has provided a stimulus for the recovery and valuation of traditional practices resulting in a mix of ancient and current natural resource management practices. "Against this context the present paper attempts to present certain specific models of sustainable watershed management successfully implemented in different parts of the world. The objective of the paper is to explore the methods, tools and strategies involved in these sustainable models."