This book presents a comprehensive analysis of the existing nature of India’s groundwater laws. In the backdrop of the gravity of groundwater crisis that threatens to engulf the country, the book examines the correlation between the imperfections in the law and water crisis and advocates a reform agenda to overhaul the legal framework. It accomplishes this objective by examining how some of the States and Union Territories regulate and manage groundwater through the legal instrumentality against the backdrop of the two conflicting paradigms: the “elitist” and the “egalitarian.” The book’s fundamental premise is that despite being an extraordinarily critical resource that supports India’s burgeoning population’s ever-increasing water demands, groundwater is abused and mismanaged. The key argument that it posits is that the elitist paradigm must give way to an egalitarian one where groundwater is treated as a common property resource. To place this message in perspective, the book’s introduction explains the dichotomy between the two paradigms in the context of groundwater. This sets the stage, after which the book is divided thematically into three parts. The first part deals with some of the general groundwater management concerns brought to the fore by the operation of the elitist paradigm. Since water is constitutionally a State subject, the second part analyses the groundwater legislations of different States and Union Territories set against their unique circumstances. As these laws do not dismantle the elitist paradigm that interlocks groundwater rights to land rights, the next part articulates the legal reform agenda where a case is made to re-engineer groundwater laws to reflect a more sustainable basis. The findings and arguments resonate with the situation in many developing countries around the world due to which the book is a valuable resource for researchers across disciplines studying this area, and also for policy makers, think tanks, and NGOs. Groundwater Management–Inter-state Water Conflicts–Aquifers–Water Markets–Water Security–Water Law Reform–Groundwater Law–Water Law–Sustainable Development–Hydrology

All India State PSC AE & PSU General Studies Chapter-wise Solved Papers

The structure of judiciary, the attitude of its organs, and the judicial process have an important bearing on the behaviour of the accused. The more a person is crushed in the judicial process, the less are his chances of resocialization. This book examines the role of judiciary in criminal justice system in India. Taking a close look at the judicial approach towards investigating a crime, it makes a comparative study of legal aid in England, USA and India. It further analyzes to what extent the organs of judiciary influence the correctional programmes meant for the rehabilitation of the offenders. Also, it presents an elaborate discussion on access to justice and judicial reforms, court and case management,and the scenario of backlog of cases.

This edited volume critically reflects on the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and continues to affect women in India. Drawing on a range of qualitative and quantitative research, contributors analyze the implications of the pandemic on the informal sector, migrant women workers, women in the health care sector, women’s economic engagement, the experiences of elderly women, mental health care, higher education, and more. Chapters also consider what gender-responsive policies are needed to ensure women’s equal rights, representation, and participation in society during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This timely and relevant volume situates India within the larger global context of conversations around economic, social and political consequences of the pandemic upon gender inequalities This book will be of interest to scholars, students, and policy makers in the fields of Sociology, Gender Studies, and Public and Social Policy.