How often have we wondered, cribbed and commented adversely
at the reach - or rather the lack of it - of public and private sector
institutions’ in far flung areas which are tough to locate even on Google maps.
The problem with many of us is that we choose to ignore the situation in hand
after some cribbing and serious mulling over sessions, while some others choose
to take matters in their hand and do something about it. The NGO (non-governmental organizations) community
is one such community. They can often surprise us by not only their presence in
these places but also facilitation of development. Location is but one aspect. More
often than not, it’s the different sectors where they operate in, that can
literally leave us flummoxed. Want to know how are they doing their bit for the
society? Read the article and find out.
What are NGOs and
what do they basically do?
NGOs are a very important component of the Civil Society. A Civil society usually encompasses all
organisations and associations that exist outside the state. They have vision and goals which differ
significantly from that of a for-profit organization, and hence more oriented
towards societal welfare. Their priority would be to work with marginalized and
backward communities. A whole lot of them work independently from governmental
interference and are technically non-profit. If they do make profit, it would
be circulated back into the system for developmental work and not distributed
amongst employees or amongst the board of governors.
The current stats
There are close to 3 million NGOs in India, majority of them
operating in the rural sectors. Their contribution towards employment and the GDP
have been increasing gradually with every subsequent year. About a third of the
NGOs are registered under at least one of the mandatory acts like the Societies
Registration Act, Companies Act, and Public trust of the respective states of
location. For an NGO to be considered eligible for donations by any other
organization or governmental bodies there have to be accreditations from the
erstwhile Planning Commission (now known as NITI Ayog), from Credibility
Alliance, and should be registered with the online site called ngoindia.com.
Many NGOs receive funding from foreign contributors under the FCRA (Foreign
Contribution Regulation Act), but unfortunately due to ambiguity in the source
and utilization of funds, the government has recently put approximately 30,000
NGOS under scanner.
How does an NGO aid
in the development of our society?
NGOs with the prime motive of working for societal
development operate at the grassroots level to uplift the downtrodden and to
provide opportunities to those seeking them. In fact, the NGO community is
responsible for an approximate contribution of Rs. 50,000 crore per annum to
the country by way of salaries, rental payments, operating expenses, etc.. This
sector has been employing about 30 lakhs workers and, an equal number work pro
bono.
An NGO needs to choose its sphere of sectorial development,
be it the social sector, healthcare sector, environment preservation, education,
etc. The different micro areas of operation include: Education of poor
children, Remedial education of government school students, Adult education, Women
welfare, Housing & shelters, Culture & recreation, Religious
propagations, Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation, Autism care etc.. There are also
some NGOs that are advocacy NGOs which fight for human rights like the Human
Rights Law Network, fight against corruption like the Anti-Corruption Council
of India, or even run campaigns like anti-tobacco, no-honking, gender sensitivity,
reoccupying streets, etc. The myriad sectors where they function in are a
manifestation of their capability in delivering at the beneficiary level,
despite pecuniary issues.
Why do we need
them?
The presence of so many NGOs world over is very critical to help
take development (be it social or skill level)and opportunities to those places
where the Governmental machineries are unable to penetrate. Many of the
International NGOS (INGOs) are doing good work in India too like the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, Clinton Foundation, Charity Aids Foundation, Hope
Foundation, USAID to name a few.
While there has always been some amount of skepticism
attached with the Non - Governmental sector, there can be no taking away the
credit of those who have been doing excellent work over the years like the
Salaam Balak Trust, Child Relief & You, and the Smile Foundation. One needs
to observe the functioning of the civil society with a different lens –from the
one we use to assess private organizations- to understand their deeper contributions
in any society.
So, if you’re really interested in making a true
contribution to the society, I would request you to become a member of an NGO
right away or even better open one of your own.
-Ms. Monica Mor
Senior Faculty, INLEAD
No comments:
Post a Comment