Prashanth, Dontha

Traditional rural institutions in India which are intertwined with a hierarchical social order of caste in the governance of the affairs of civil, political and economic structure of the village, are instrumental in the governance of commons including land, water, grazing land, and village forests. Caste permeats a structure of hierarchy in terms of the accumulation of resources so as the traditional governance of commons and their access. Commons and their governance in Global south in general and in India particularly is deeply intertwined with the institution of caste . The historical evolution of access and control over the productive resources, in its relationship with land had dis-entitled marginalised groups (SC and ST ) from having any share of ownership, be it common or private. In this paper, through an in-depth village study in Telangana, India we unfold the rights, access and utilisation of commons, their transformation over a long period of time, and how caste plays a significant role in these contexts. We also analyse the at the arrival of new commons aimed at equalization of access to natural resources in contrast to their denial in the past. Such a process of equalization has positive effects in terms of enhanced agrarian productivity for the depressed castes (marginalised groups) reposing the need for a policy of commonization as a principle of equi-distributive and efficient policy.