Introduction
The term common property resource (CPR) is used in many fields
like anthropology, behavioural psychology, geography, economics,
political science, rural sociology and natural resources management.
In traditional economic terms, as a class these resources
are characterized by rivalry (one’s use detracts from another’s)
and non-exclusivity (difficult to exclude additional users) (Randall,
1987). Common property resources constitute all such resources
which are meant for common use of the communities. In the pre-
British India, a very large part of the country’s natural resources
was freely available to the rural population. These resources were
largely under the control of the rural communities. Gradually, with
the extension of state control over these resources, resulting in
decay of the community management system, CPRs available to the
villagers declined substantially over the years. The latest National
Sample Survey Organization study (1999) on the role of land, water