This report has been prepared by the members of the working group set up by the Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India on the issue of “Entitlements and allocations for livelihoods and ecosystem needs". The introductory chapter sets out the context of the report. The immediate context is the work of the Forum over the last 4-5 years, and the learning that this particular issue leads to many water conflicts in India. The broader context is the water sector 'crisis', and problems such as declining water availability and unsustainable and inequitable use of water, along with ongoing changes that are taking place in the water sector. These changes include, among other things, institutional changes (such as the setting up of regulatory authorities), the introduction of water entitlements and tradable rights, an emphasis on the pricing of water, and a continuing clamour for large-scale infrastructure projects. The kind of implications that these changes would have for different aspects of a right to water are then briefly indicated.