In the hard rock areas of India, overdraft of groundwater has led to negative externalities, increases costs of groundwater irrigation and causes welfare losses. Groundwater markets are slowly emerging as niche markets to improve water distribution and to mitigate water scarcity by stimulating...

In many countries growing water scarcity puts pressure on the irrigation sector, as main consumptive user, to improve performance. In this context, the need for research on institutional policy options for improved water allocation and governance is more and more recognized. Exante evaluation of...