Since 1991, large-scale changes have been initiated in India’s economy with the liberalization, privatisation and globalisation of almost every aspect of the economy. While this process began in 1991 itself in sectors like power, in the water sector it has started recently. 17 years after the blind and hasty liberalization and privatisation, the power sector is in a mess. The reforms have been a disaster, with severe power shortages and rocketing electricity tariffs, locking the country into expensive contracts for years to come. All this has now been acknowledged even at the official level. Instead of learning from the process, an almost exactly similar process of liberalization, privatisation and globalisation is being undertaken in the water sector.
