The performance of canal irrigation system in India has recently become a subject of considerable criticism. Irrigation water utilisation is a complex technological activity. It is generally held that in the absence of well-articulated rules to ensure efficiency in canal water distribution, maldistribution tends to take place with all its attendant socioeconomic and environmental consequences. A modest attempt has been made in this book to give an account of the status of water distribution and examine some of the issues associated with water management in irrigation projects. This study clearly brings out the fact that only technical and administrative measures cannot provide the remedy. An understanding of the socio-economic aspects of irrigation is necessary. This book also addresses itself to the problems of people's participation in irrigation management. Issues like arguments in favour of people's participation, what it is, why people are reluctant, why people should co-operate, how it affects the entire operational system have been discussed.