The good governance agenda for decentralization in Uttarakhand, India: implications for social justice By NICOLA GIORDANO A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts degree in International Development Studies Saint Mary’s University April, 2010, Halifax, Nova Scotia Copyright © Nicola Giordano, 2010 Thesis approved by Supervisor Dr. Ryan Isakson First Reader Dr. Joe Tharamangalam Second Reader Dr. Jun Borras Date: April 22nd, 2010 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................9 Tables and Figures...................................................................................................................10 Abstract....................................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER I............................................................................................................................15 1.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................15 CHAPTER II ..........................................................................................................................15 2.1 Decentralization, the state and social justice: outcome for development .....................22 2.2 Good Governance: the Neoliberal Perspective ............................................................29 2.3 The good governance approach to decentralization: public good and efficiency. .......32 2.4 Critiques of Good Governance: implications for devolution and democracy..............36 2.5 Good Governance and social justice: An oppressive “civilizing” mission? ..................38 2.6 Social justice according to different theoretical frameworks.........................................43 2.7 Decentralization and Social Justice ...............................................................................47 2.8 The political ideology of the state: implications for decentralization ...........................50 2.9 Good governance decentralization forms and definitions ............................................53 2.10 The Centre-Local dimension in implementing the good governance approach to decentralization....................................................................................................................56 2.11 Decentralization initial enthusiasm during the Structural Adjustment Programs.......58 2 2.12 What did not work in good governance decentralization?.........................................61 2.13 Decentralization and its current inherent central paradox of democratization versus nation-driven neoliberal policies .........................................................................................64 2.14 Institutional Political Economy (IPE): from neoliberal techno-manegerialism to political economic populism in decentralization ..............................................................................67 2.15 Sustainable livelihoods approach and decentralization as political capital .................70 2.16 Neo-Marxists and decentralization as policy device to reproduce forces of capitalism73 2.17 Decentralization and social justice in India.................................................................78 2.18 Where is this research standing?.................................................................................79 CHAPTER III.........................................................................................................................81 3.1 From theory to binding legal reality: The Constitutional definition of social justice in India .............................................................................................................................................81 3.2 Village decentralization under the Panchayati Raj Act..................................................85 3.3 The organization of Panchayat Raj................................................................................87 3.4 Panchayati Raj: funding limited social justice................................................................90 3.5 Tensions, struggles and challenges for Panchayati Raj in India....................................94 3.6 An introduction to Forest Management in India ..........................................................98 3.7 Legal framework and guidelines of Joint Forest Management .....................................99 3.8 Tensions and livelihoods implications for National Forest Management ..................103 3.9 Introducing Uttarakhand: from self-reliance to oppression........................................106 3 3.10 Panchayati Raj in Uttarakhand: Functions, Funding and Structure..........................109 3.11 Early Panchayati Raj in Uttarakhand: potential and struggles...................................111 3.12 Genesis of forest policy in Uttarakhand: from struggles against the British rule to rhetoric of environmental conservation ..........................................................................................114 3.13 From owners to managers: Van Panchayat legal changes and market pressures .....118 3.14 Today’s neoliberal discourse in conceptualizing Van Panchayat..............................121 3.15 Where in Uttarakhand? Munsiari area: a brief introduction....................................124 CHAPTER IV.......................................................................................................................126 4.1 The central problematic ..............................................................................................126 4.2 Causal variables ...........................................................................................................127 4.3 Chain of Causality........................................................................................................128 4.4 Methodology................................................................................................................137 4.4.1 Significance levels for variables ............................................................................142 4.4.2 Sample..................................................................................................................143 4.5 Household Poverty Index ...........................................................................................147 4.6 First Hypothesis: Access to forest resources in decentralized forest management.....148 4.6.1 First level of analysis.............................................................................................149 4.6.2 Results first level of analysis..................................................................................151 4.6.3 Second level analysis ............................................................................................160 4 4.6.4 Results second level of analysis ............................................................................162 4.6.5 Third level of analysis...........................................................................................167 4.6.6 Results third level of analysis................................................................................168 4.6.7 Conclusions for Hypothesis One.........................................................................175 4.7 Second Hypothesis: Engagement in Institutional Processes.......................................177 4.7.1 First level of analysis.............................................................................................179 4.7.2 Results first level of analysis..................................................................................182 4.7.3 Second level of analysis ........................................................................................187 4.7.4 Results second level of analysis ............................................................................187 4.7.5 Third level of analysis...........................................................................................199 4.7.6 Results third level of analysis................................................................................200 4.7.7 Conclusion Second Hypothesis ...........................................................................201 4.8 Third Hypothesis: Marketization Pressures................................................................203 4.8.1 First level of analysis.............................................................................................204 4.8.2 Results of first level of analysis .............................................................................206 4.8.3 Second level of analysis ........................................................................................218 4.8.4 Results second level of analysis ............................................................................220 4.8.5 Conclusion of the third hypothesis ......................................................................231 4.9 Fourth Hypothesis: Decentralization and Pressures for Market Development .........233 4.9.1 First level of analysis.............................................................................................234 5 4.9.2 Results first level of analysis..................................................................................234 4.9.3 Second Level of analysis.......................................................................................243 4.9.4 Results second