NGOs and Development: History and Role in India

NGOs are voluntary organization s (VOs). These are popularly known as NGOs because they are free
from governmental control in their functioning. They are democratic and open to all those wishing to
become member of the organization voluntarily and serve the society.

Therefore, they have assumed a significant space in civil society, which is fast emerging today due to the
weakening of the state. NGO is a popular term, which has gained currency at global level and commands
respect in society due to its welfare services in society. The organization does seek financial assistance
from the government but it operates, at least theoretically, on its own principles and programmes
(Punalekar, 2004).

VOs are, in principle, open to voluntary membership. Any one may become member by choice and
resign from the organization at one’s own will. However, Edwin Masihi writes that “it is wrong to label
such organizations as free-for-all in that anyone who seeks admission gets it on demand.

On the contrary, these organizations have their own rule of eligibility for admission and only those who
meet these eligibility norms are accepted as members, albeit with the approval of the existing members.
In that sense, these organizations are voluntary in relative terms only” (Masihi, 2004).

History of NGOs in India:

NGO have a long history in India. In the past, people in this country have been found to have provided
help to others in trouble. Since centuries there exists the tradition of voluntary service to the needy and
helpless in the country. In the beginning, these services were rendered by people motivated by their
religious feelings.

They believed that service to people would be the service to God and, therefore, would be a means to
attain spiritual salvation and sometimes to atonement for any sinful act. Spirit of charity and altruism
guided the voluntary action in the past, which had found expression in diverse forms even outside the
formal established religious channels ( Punalekar, 2004: 33). Many people including rulers have trod the
path of service to their fellow beings and adopted it as their life mission (ibid.).

Floods, fires, earthquakes, epidemic outbreaks and other kinds of calamities were the occasions which
motivated people to voluntary help those who were trapped in disastrous situations. Community life
was very strong and people were guided by the ‘we’ feeling and selflessness in extending their individual
support.

The help and support used to be individual, spontaneous and transitory. It is around the late 18th and
early 19th century that associations and organizations were being formed to render such activities in a
more organized and permanent profile (ibid.).
The reform movements of the 19th century were perhaps the first organized forms of voluntary action
in the service of society. This was the period when the caste rigidities were strong, untouchability was in
practice, and other social evils like child marriage, cursed status of widow’s were prevalent in the Indian
society against which voluntary organizations came forward to launch reform movements.

These organizations were liberal and cut across caste and creed lines and worked purely as a liberal and
secular body. “In the early years of 20th century, the religious fervour gave way to more rationalist
principles. The birth of the Servants of India Society laid the foundation of secular voluntary action in
India”(ibid.).

Gandhiji was immensely concerned with the problems and evils the people were beset with. He, along
with his war against the British rule, wanted to eliminate the social evils and awaken the people of India
to come out of the closed shell of the evil traditions like untouchability, caste segregation, and
subservience to the landholding castes and general backwardness.

In order to achieve these goals, several VOs were formed under the influence of the ideals of Gandhiji. A
few of them are Sewa, Eklavya, Disha etc., which were instituted in Gujarat and some others might have
been formed in other states also.

A significant growth of NGOs started after India achieved independence. Democracy was established
and people had started understanding the meaning of freedom of speech, the charm of equality and the
value of humanity and brotherhood. Also, on the other hand, the government started planning for
development and in this effort, launched inter alia the schemes of Community Development Programme
and later on the Green Revolution.

Over one million NGOs are pursuing their economically gainful activities. The achievements of the
schemes were assessed were found to be unsuccessful in providing for the minimum necessary
requirements and reducing the gap between the rich and the poor in rural areas, instead rather
increasing it.

With independence also accelerated the processes of industrialization, urbanization, expansion of

Industrialization and urbanization led to the emergence of the problems of rural-urban migration
causing imbalance in the rural division of labour, over-urbanization of many cities with the expansion of
slum and pavement dwellers, urban unemployment, pollution and depletion of natural resources.
Consumerism and over-consumption are yet other serious problems of the present nature of
development. Most of the cities of the world in general, and those of the less developed countries in
particular, have the grievous problem of garbage disposal.

Thus, there are hundreds of problems which have emerged and sensitized the citizens to organize
themselves to work for their solution either by their own personal contribution or by pressurizing the
government to solve the problem. Thousands of NGOs have thus emerged in India making significant
contributions to the processes of development of society.

“These NGOs believe in the tasks of mobilizing and conscentization of the masses or their specific target
groups – be they women, children, agricultural labourers, construction workers or the social castaways
like widows, devdasis or under trial prisoners. They believe sincerely in educating the people and
preparing them for ongoing struggle. They believe in social awakening including legal literacy and
confidence-building” (Punalekar, 2004: 41).

NGOs have gained importance now and are increasing in number very fast. Enhancement of their
importance is the result of weakening of the role of state in upholding the welfare and well-being of its
citizens and consequent development of the assertive role of civil society to ascertain social welfare and
integration. More than half a million voluntary organizations would perhaps be working in the country.

Role of NGOs in Development:

NGOs have immense role in bringing about social change and development and it is being experienced
from different parts of the country. Development, as we have read earlier, is a multi- faceted process,
which essentially involves the aggressive participation of the people that would not be possible unless
they are educated, awakened and motivated. NGOs are taking up this job sportingly and successfully.

The areas in which we witness active and appreciative role of NGOs are as follows:

1. The NGOs are active to promote education, particularly among that section of population, which has
remained un-benefited or less benefited by the measures adopted by the government. The education of
girls, and other deprived people, particularly the SCs and STs, has been their target objective.

2. Women are the other vulnerable section of society. Gender discrimination is a ubiquitous cultural
reality. Girls are discriminated in the upbringing pattern in the family. Larger numbers of the
undernourished are from amongst the girls. Retention of girls in schools is much less as compared to
boys. Women are forced to work as housewife and denied participation in gainful economic activities
outside homes. About three-fourths of the work done by women is un-monetized.

3. Since the second half of the preceding century started the change in the status of women with their
active participation in political, social and economic activities, which gained acceleration since the last
quarter of the preceding century. More and more women started moving out of the four walls of their
houses and involving themselves actively in the social sphere outside their homes.
Important in this process has been the role of academicians and NGOs. The book Women’s Role in
Economic Development by Easter Boserup (1970) is the pioneering work in this direction. After a gap of
few years, by 1978, a large number of works were published, particularly on the status of women in the
Third World – where their position has been more vulnerable.

The role of women voluntary organizations towards this cause has been marvelous. Sewa, Sathin,
Eklavya, Disha, Environmental Action Group and Agrani Foundation etc. are some of the thousands of
NGOs known for their role in development by creating awareness among people and interventions, if
required.

4. The approach to development has been almost uniform world over at least in terms of the use of
technology, magnitude of production, pattern of consumption and achievement of wealth. Both state
and people were unaware or lackadaisical about the backwash of the nature of development pursued.

The threat to the human life developed due to environmental pollution and imbalance and the
depletion of natural resources as a consequence of the nature of development. Here, the role of NGOs is
really noticeable and praiseworthy. Thousands of voluntary organizations are at work to awaken people
and governments against environmental degradation and depletion of resources.

5. It is not that the development process has unleashed only environmental threats to the human
existence but also many people are displaced due to developmental projects and are quite often not
properly compensated and rehabilitated.

The NGOs have a major role to play towards the cause of people’s resettlement and are also performing
commendable job in this direction. The projects like the construction of dams, road highways and
railways have often made some sections of people, particularly in rural areas, vulnerable and are
displaced without being properly compensated.

6. NGOs are also rendering great service in restoring dignity to the deprived and discriminated sections
of the people in the society like women suffering from gender discrimination, lower caste people
suffering from caste segregation and the status of untouchable, racial and religious discriminations.

Voluntary organizations, working at both national and international levels, have earned praise for their
services in societal development. These organizations are busy in creating awareness and zeal for
participation in development projects.

Ensuring humanism by fighting against human rights violations, social exclusions, domestic violence and
others have been common objectives of the NGOs. Of late, these organizations are also entering the
sector of economic well-being and standard of living. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, Agrani Foundation’s
Jan Suraksha Kranti (JSK) scheme of savings and life insurance is indeed a commendable effort in this
direction.