Chaitanya AwasthiAIR 37 · CSE 2022 · 356 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
NGOs are a type of civil society organisation which are non-state, and not for profit (profits reinvested), formal (registered) organisations. They act as developmental partners of the State.
Types:
Body · points
→ Trust → Society → Charitable Companies etc.
Areas of Operation ↳ Act as implementation gap filler for: ↳ areas where state has no political will ↳ areas where State has inadequate resources ↳ Social Reforms and Awareness ↳ Research, Monitoring, Evaluation etc.
NGOs as Drivers of Change: ↳ NGOs play a huge role in our society given the resources and needs mismatch. ↳ They serve a plethora of roles to strengthen democracy. Some of them are:
1 Policy Formation & Implementation ↳ NGO survey, Data/Feedback → Government → Policy Formation ↳ Govt. Policy → NGO → last mile connectivity, ground knowledge, distribution networks → Policy implementation
- eg. ASER by NGO Pratham 2 Advocacy (Voice of the voiceless) ↳ Environment - eg. Greenpeace, Narmada Bachao Andolan ↳ Human rights - eg. Amnesty, CRY ↳ Electoral reforms - eg. ADR, PRS etc. 3 Watchdogs ↳ Social Audits, RTI, Data analysis 4 Service Providers ↳ Help Age India (Old Age), Akshaya Patra (Mid day Meal) 5 Social Change ↳ Naz Foundation, India Against Corruption
Additionally, during COVID, NGOs played a heroic role in easing burden upon administration and preventing societal collapse. They are thus indispensable during normalcy as well as crisis. eg. Feed India, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, SMILE
→ Barriers :
- Politicisation → increasing inclination towards political patronage for funds
- Fund Diversion → Money laundering, Black Money etc.
- Silos Approach → duplicity of efforts
- Integration with Government → NGO Darpan has outlived its utility, not yet updated.
- Transparency → Only substantially funded under RTI
- Overregulation → FCRA, 2020 limit administrative expenses < 20%, compulsory account in SBI, New Delhi etc.
- Human Resources → non lucrative opportunity → unskilled staff
Close · a way forward
As NSA Ajit Doval pointed out the changing landscape of warfare and threats to civil society, NGOs become ever so more essential. Government must strengthen their flaws and draw balance with regulations to harness the potential of this "3rd Sector of Development".