ABSTRACT

ROLE OF NGOS IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY

OF
TWO BLOCKS IN PURI DISTRICT OF ORISSA

Mahatma Gandhi underlined the importance of rural India by saying that “India lives in
villages”. India is overwhelmingly rural. Out of total population of 1,210,854,977, 68.84%
constitutes rural population (Census -2011). Moreover, in a less developed state like Odisha the
percentage of rural population stands above 83 percent (Census -2011). The Odishan society, as a
part of India, is in a state of flux especially after independence. With the introduction of planning,
universal adult franchise and democratic decentralization, the Indian people in general and people
of Odisha in particular, though have gradually become conscious of their rights and claims, their
socio-economic conditions have not improved even after more than six decades of Independence
and they suffer from numerous problems. The problem of rural development in India is multi-
dimensional and complex and its crux is abject poverty. The problem of poverty in India is not
merely economic, it is symptomatic of a deeper socio-economic and political crises. Therefore,
development of rural society is the major challenge before a developing nation like India.
Development of the rural area has been the central concern of development planning in India since
Independence. The introduction of panchayati raj institutions, Community Development projects,
Integrated Rural Development Programmes and several others have perhaps acted as forces of
rural development in India. The major objectives of all the programmes are to increase and provide
basic necessities to the rural poor. However, the ground reality is not very much encouraging. In
spite of planned development programmes, particularly through the Five Year Plans from 1947
onwards, the benefits did not land on the lap of the poor target groups for whom they were
intended.

However the field of development is so vast that efforts of Government alone are not going
to be adequate. To achieve the goal, it calls for multidimensional and multilevel approach. In this
context Non-Governmental Organizations can play a vital role. NGOs can bridge the gap between
the state organization and general people. The voluntary sector may be better placed to articulate
the needs of the poor people, remote areas, to encourage the changes in attitudes and practices
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necessary to curtail discrimination and to nurture the productive capacity of the most vulnerable
groups. Hence, the move today is towards voluntary organizations which has perhaps become a
part of the shift from a clinical dependence on state.

The NGOs are essentially voluntary organizations associated with civil society and perform
their works more efficiently than the Government. They are playing an important role in the
preparation, design and application of development strategies. NGOs are thought to bridge the gap
between the government and the community. They are considered to have comparative advantages
in implementing projects because they are closer to the beneficiaries, work with greater flexibility,
have greater motivation and cultural sensibility, and work more cost effectively etc. Development
practitioners, government officials and foreign donors consider that NGOs by virtue of being small
scale, flexible, innovative and participatory, are more successful in reaching the poor and in
alleviating poverty. This consideration has resulted in the rapid growth of NGOs.

In recent years, the voluntary agencies in India have acquired greater importance and
significance than before because the administration has not been able to reach the people,
especially the poor and weaker sections residing in rural areas.

Statement of the Problem: Rural development is a complex and continuous process

requiring a meticulous and continuous efforts on the part of many to achieve positive results. It
requires the involvement of various stakeholders–the government agencies, the NGOs and the
people for whom various programmes are evolved. Governments and NGOs are continuously
engaged in the process of rural development. However, NGOs are considered by many as more
effective than the government in bringing about all-round development in the rural areas. NGOs
comparative advantages are: their ability to deliver emergency services at low cost, to many people
in remote areas; their rapid, innovative and flexible responses to emerging financial and technical
assistance needs at the grass roots level; their long-standing familiarity with social sector
development and poverty alleviation and familiarity with the concerned target groups.

However, as a result of the growth of NGOs in India and the world over; the increasing
development functions that they perform in the process of socio-economic development and social
transformation, the NGOs and their role have come under serious scrutiny from the academia and
have been seriously contested among intellectuals, politicians and development practitioners.
Serious doubts have been raised about their actual and potential role in the field of rural
development. Even questions have been raised with regard to their role in politics. Hence, the need
to analyze how far the NGOs are effective in rural development, what their roles are, components
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of their development work, their consequences, whether they play any role in politics etc. is quite
evident. Hence it is high time now to know- what are their objectives in the field of rural
development? what are their methods of achieving the objectives? what are their actual role in the
field? what is the impact of their programmes and activities on the lives of the rural people and
how far they have been effective in bringing about development in rural areas? With these basic
questions in mind, the present study focuses on the process of rural development in India and
analyze the role of NGOs in the lives of rural communities.

Present study focuses on the role of NGOs in rural development in Puri district of Odisha
with special reference to their impact on rural development and the quality of life of the rural
people. It is a well-known fact that Odisha is one of the most under developed and the poorest state
in India despite its abundant natural resources. In such a state the district of Puri, though projected
as one of the developed districts in the state, is really very much socio-economically
underdeveloped. Their livelihood is mainly dependent upon agriculture. The problems faced by
the rural people of Puri are multifarious.

Against the backdrop of the above, the researcher proposes to study the role of NGOs on
the lives of the rural people and their problems. The study envisages to explore the various
dimensions of rural development and the role of NGOs in two blocks (Brahmagiri and Kanas) of
Puri district in Odisha. The district of Puri in general and the two blocks in particular are very
much under developed. In such a scenario, the NGOs seem to play major role to improve the rural
people through their own diverse programmes. But so far there are no adequate studies throwing
light on the role of NGOs and their contributions to the rural development in the study area. The
focus of the study is, therefore, to explore the actual role of NGOs in the area.

Objective of the study: The present study is undertaken with a view to analyzing the socio-
economic progress of the rural people in the district of Puri and the role of NGOs in the
developmental process. The objectives of the study are as follows:

1. To analyze the objectives of NGOs involved in rural development.

2. To delineate as to what extent NGOs play any role to solve the problems of the rural people and
help the process of development in a positive direction.

3. To measure the impact of rural development programmes on the beneficiaries undertaken by the
NGOs.

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4. To study whether the NGOs’ functions and role are influenced by local politics or the political
leaders.

5. To know whether the NGO founders themselves are free of politics or they work for the people
through NGOs’ perceived clean image in the society with an ulterior motive of gaining and
enjoying political power in the locality.

Hypotheses: In order to fulfill the above objectives certain hypotheses have been formulated.

Hypothesis No 1. NGOs play a vital role in the development process of rural areas.

Hypothesis No 2. NGOs under the veil of their development programmes search mainly status and
power.

Hypothesis No 3. NGOs are influenced by the local politics and political leaders.

Method of the Study: This study is exploratory and evaluative in nature. It intends to explore
and evaluate the role and performance of four non-government organizations in reducing poverty,
promoting job creation and improving the livelihoods of the rural people. The nature of this study
is such that it calls for a mixed methodology of combining both quantitative and qualitative
methods for strengthening the validity of data. In this study, the researcher aims to evaluate the
consequences and effectiveness of four NGOs’ intervention in rural areas of Puri district

Selection of NGOs: In the first phase, the researcher collected a list of all the organizations
registered. In the second phase, NGOs actively involved in implementing various rural
development programmes were identified. In the third phase, the researcher contacted the officials
of the NGOs involved in rural development personally to find out their willingness to collaborate
in the study. Only 6 NGOs showed their interest in the study. In the fourth phase, the researcher
made personal visits to the NGOs and met the official in-charge of the NGOs with a view to explain
the purpose and content of the study and finalize the modus operandi of the study. Ultimately, even
among the 6 NGOs that were willing to participate in the study, only four NGOs were finalized -
as they were found to be functioning effectively by maintaining proper records and reports.

The Sampling: Mixed methodological approach of the purposive and simple proportionate
random sampling was used to select relevant stakeholders for the study. Four NGOs and a random
sample of 120 beneficiaries (30 beneficiaries under each NGOs), 60 non-beneficiaries (15 under
each NGOs) and 40 NGO workers (10 from each NGOs) are taken to collect Primary data.

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Method of collection of Primary Data: Interview schedule with structured questionnaire was
considered to be the most appropriate tool for collecting primary data from the respondent
categories. Structured questionnaire was administered to collect data from the NGOs’ authorities
and staffs. Formal and informal discussions with identified resourceful members at different levels
contributed further in strengthening the quality of data.

With due consent of the NGOs’ authorities, structured questionnaire and interview schedule were
administered by the researcher for collecting qualitative data from the officials and staff of NGOs
on topics related to the process of organization, the level of impact of programmes, and the
effectiveness of NGOs’ interventions. The beneficiaries were interviewed in groups, each group
consisting of ten members. Thus, multiple methods of data collection have been used in the study.

Method of collection of Secondary Data: Documents, reports, and articles published in journals,
magazines and books were the major sources of secondary data. The annual reports and other
documentation of the NGOs also provided ample materials for the study. Extensive web materials
were also gathered for the purpose of the study.

Method of Data analysis: The data were statistically analyzed using tables and corresponding pie
charts and columns with simple numerical and percentage representations for each category to
measure the impact of NGOs interventions on rural development on the basis of the perceptions
of different respondent categories about the consequences and the effectiveness of the NGOs
efforts on the lives of the rural people. The effectiveness and consequences of the programmes and
activities of four NGOs were studied through impressionist approach, wherein the perceptions of
various respondent categories about the programmes and activities were given importance.

Consequences of various programmes of the NGOs on the lives of the people have been measured
by taking into account the perception level of the beneficiaries who benefitted out of the NGOs
interventions. The beneficiary respondents were asked to rate the programmes from their
experience either as positive or negative on several counts.

On the basis of the percentage of scores secured by each respondent, the impact of each programme
is categorized under four headings, i.e. Least beneficial, Less beneficial, Moderately beneficial
and Most beneficial.

Effectiveness of the NGOs’ efforts in the process of rural development has been measured
in terms of the reflection of the evaluative perception of the different respondent categories about
their experiences regarding the roles played by the NGOs on five counts On the basis of the
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percentage of scores secured by each respondent, the effectiveness of each programme is also
categorized under four headings, i.e.Least effective, Less effective, Effective and Highly effective.

Organization of the Study: The study has been organized under seven chapters. Following the
introductory chapter one, which covers the general introduction to the study, the problem
statement, research objectives, hypotheses, universe of the study and research methodology, there
are six other chapters. The second chapter deals with the review of related literature. Chapter three
focuses on rationale for Rural Development, Concept of Rural Development, major problems of
Rural Society in India and objectives of Rural Development. Chapter four highlights emerging
importance of NGOs in Rural Development, definition and conceptual clarification of NGOs,
features of NGOs, activities of NGOs, NGOs and Rural Development perspectives in India, Indian
State and the NGOs. Chapter five begins with an introduction about the socio-economic conditions
of Odisha in general and focuses on the profile of the district of Puri and the two blocks where the
study has been conducted and the profiles of NGOs. Chapter six includes the presentation and
analysis of data gathered for the purpose. And chapter seven entails the summary of the findings,
concluding observations and recommendations made to solve the problems of rural people or
enhance organizational activities of NGOs.

The literature gone through (Chapter-2) reflect a mix response about the role of NGOs in
the field of development in general and rural area development in particular. Analysts and authors
like James Fisher, Michel Edwards, David Hulme, Jenny Pearce, Rajni Kothari, Rajes Tondon and
others claim that NGOs are in the midst of a “quiet” revolution and are committed to “doing good.”
NGOs have been characterized as the new “favored child” of official development agencies and
proclaimed as a “magic bullet” to target and fix the problems that have befallen the development
process. They are seen as instrumental in changing mindsets and attitudes in addition to being
more efficient providers of goods and services. Even though government could do better in heavy
investment sector, NGOs could do much better in the small investment interior development
programmes.

However, with the rapid increase of NGOs at the global level promoting diverse issues and
their critical importance in various field of development throughout the world, the role and place
of Non-Governmental Organisations have also been a subject of debate in the development
strategies of many countries as well as in the circle of academia. According to the critics, the NGOs
play quite a dubious role in the name of change and development and social transformation. It is
alleged that the entry of multilateral agencies like the World Bank, IMF, ADB, and UNDP, who
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have all sought to sponsor schemes and ideas that had together provided a techno-economic
package influenced the NGOs, which were essentially meant to serve the interest of the world
capitalism.

A number of studies go so far as to argue that the presumed role of NGOs is a mirage that
obscures the workings (and interests) of a powerful state (imperialism), various national elites and
the predation of private capital. Thus, as Petras mentioned "in reality non-governmental
organizations are not non-governmental (…) [in that they] receive funds from overseas
governments or work as private contractors". Prakash Karat’s thesis of NGOs as imperialist agents
falls in this line of argument.

Amidst, this claims and counter claims, the present study has tried to evaluate the potential
and actual role of NGOs by conducting a case study in Puri district of Odisha.

Rural Development (as discussed in Chapter-3) has always been an important issue in all
discussions pertaining to economic development, especially of developing countries. So the quest
for achievement of desired rural development has remained a critical concern of most third world
countries of the contemporary world. When the colonial rule was lifted from the third world
nations, most of the planners and administrators of these newly independent countries got
concerned to develop the rural areas. They have been adopting certain policy strategies and
implementing a host of programmes and measures to achieve rural development objectives, to
address the issues of rural backwardness and to tackle rural problems.

Though millions of people have escaped poverty as a result of rural development in many
developing countries, a large majority of people still continues to suffer from persistent poverty.
Despite the great importance of rural sectors, where majority of population reside in the developing
countries, rural economies remained predominantly underdeveloped. Again, as the strategies
adopted in the developing countries remained largely ineffective in alleviating poverty and
inequality in rural areas, Rural Development, in this context, became a planning concern and
emerged as a distinctive field of policy and practice.

From a conceptual perspective, a lot of confusion exists about what we mean by rural
development. It has been differently conceptualized by various authors. According to the World
Bank, Rural Development is a: “strategy designed to improve the economic and social life of a
specific group of people, the rural poor. It involves extending the benefits of development to the
poorest among those who seek a livelihood in the rural areas. The group includes small-scale

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farmers, tenants and the landless”. Katar Singh identifies the basic elements that constitute the true
meaning of rural development. These are: 1) basic necessities of life such as food, clothes, shelter,
basic literacy, primary health care and security of life and property; 2) self-respect and 3) freedom.

In the context of India rural development bears greater importance as 68.86 per cent of its
population still live in rural areas. Most of the people living in rural areas draw their livelihood
from agriculture and allied sectors and poverty mostly persists here. Accordingly, from the very
beginning, our planned strategy emphasized rural development and perhaps will continue to do so
in future. Various rural development programmes and schemes have been implemented by the
Indian Government through its Five Year Plans. Efforts were also made by individuals and
voluntary organizations to develop the rural area.

However, in spite of successive plans and programmes, the rural people are still
experiencing various problems. The Government has been, since country’s independence,
formulating policies, programs, projects and schemes and investing significant financial resources
through every Five Year Plan to accelerate the rural development. All these programs and schemes
being implemented in the field of rural development have shown varying degree of response and
performance at the grassroots level, and of course, much less than expected in respect of
measureable indicators of human development index.

NGOs also play a vital role in Indian rural development sector in both Pre and Post-
Independence era (analyzed in Chapter-4). The Indian Government has already recognized the
role of the NGOs in its rural development drive and due provisions have been made through the
Five Year Plans to incorporate the NGOs in its rural development mission.

NGOs may be defined as voluntary, private, formally structured, self-governing

autonomous decision-making institutions with non-profit-making aims that promote a public
cause. Functional areas of NGOs include: 1. Service and delivery, 2. Resource Mobilization, 3.
Human Resource Development, 4. Research, Innovation, Evaluation and Documentation, 5. Public
Information and Education, 6. Advocacy, 7. Social Activism,8. Relief, 9. Development and 10.
Training.

The NGO efforts in the process of welfare and development have undergone evolutionary
changes with the changing emphases of various experimental development programmes in India.
In the last few decades, the growing awareness of the limitations and intrinsic constraints of the
Government has led to an increasing recognition of NGOs and voluntary efforts and sought their

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greater cooperation and involvement in the process of development. With the introduction of
economic liberalization policies since 1991, shift of power from a centralized state sector and
decentralization of people’s own efforts and the growing recognition of the role of voluntary
organizations since the Sixth and Seventh Plan period, there have been marked changes in the
complexion of voluntarism in India. Today, they are important partners in the process of
development and are an inalienable part of the contemporary scene. However, the Government co-
opts, controls and curbs voluntary action depending upon its changing needs.

Anyway, NGOs also play a vital role in the poverty-striken state of Odisha in general and
the district of Puri (the present study universe) in particular. The demographic configuration and
socio-economic realities as well as the geographical location of Odisha (detailed in Chapter-5)
have provided a fertile ground for the operation of NGOs. Though Odisha boasts of its glorious
past and rich natural resources, but the geo-morphological and socio-economic features as well as
the natural calamities have pushed it into the vicious circle of poverty. Both government and non-
government agencies are trying to confront with the harsh situation of poverty in the state. NGOs
are playing important role in the field of rural development of Odisha. The present study has been
conducted in two Blocks (Brahmagiri and Kanas) of Puri district of Odisha to evaluate and measure
the impact of NGOs’ intervention in the field of rural area development and has tried to find out
the impeding factors especially the political one.

The study found that the surveyed NGOs (as discussed in Chapter-6) are relatively small
but very active in their development initiatives. Their objectives, mission, programmes and
working style are almost similar. Their objectives include: 1.agriculture and Irrigation
development, 2. Empowerment of the poor and weaker, 3. women’s empowerment, 5. promotion
and formation of self-help groups, 6.vocational and skill training, 7.promotion of handicraft, 8.
micro financing, 9. capacity building, 10. child education, 11. rural health and sanitation, 12.
rehabilitation, etc.

Their major and common programmes include: Agriculture, Employment and Income
Generation, Literacy and Education, Rural Health and Sanitation, Disaster risk management,
Social Defense and Human Services and Socio-economic and health Awareness. The data
collected and analyzed show that the NGOs are actually engaged in these rural development
programmes and are continuously working for the development of rural areas. The evaluative
perceptions of various respondent categories of the study indicate that the NGOs have made a very
good impact in their areas of operations.
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The main findings of the study (as detailed in Chapter-7) are the following:

After a detailed survey of the sample NGOs we found that these NGOs, though
comparatively small, are experienced, active and also exclusively working for the rural
development in almost similar manner. Since their inception they have undertaken a number of
rural development programs for the upliftment of the poor in the rural areas. They are not only
helping to the success of government programmes but also trying to improve the rural people
through their own diverse programmes.

The study shows that NGOs have been successful in impacting the lives of the beneficiaries
both directly and indirectly as they sought sustainable solutions in various sectors such as finance,
education, and healthcare

It is observed that the NGOs have a considerable impact on the socio-economic life of the
people living in remote rural areas. They have made their presence felt by the rural people and
other stakeholders in the field of rural development. This has been substantiated by the data
presented in Table No. 9 and 10(chap.6) where it is observed that 100% of beneficiaries and 80%
of non-beneficiary respondents have the knowledge about the NGOs presence in their respective
areas of operation and 100% of beneficiary respondents and 65% of non-beneficiary respondents
have come to know about the NGOs through their operations and activities in the rural areas.

They have been very effective in bringing about a positive change in the field agriculture
by improving agricultural infrastructure, providing better agricultural seeds to needy farmers,
creating awareness among the locals about various modern equipments, etc. This fact was
confirmed when 82.5 % of the beneficiary respondents considers the agricultural development
programmes conducted by the NGOs as most beneficialand 80% of beneficiary respondents, 50%
of non-beneficiary respondents and 90% of NGO Staffs perceived it as highly effective.

In the field of employment and income generation they have significant consequence.
Their programmes and activities include vocational training on art and handicraft and stone
carving, training on applique and coir handicraft, formation of SHG groups, skilling youths
through Industrial Training Centre in various Trades, leadership training, community skill up
gradation, etc. All these activities of the NGOs have tremendous positive impact on the lives of
the rural poor. All these are confirmed when 85% of the beneficiary respondents opines the
programmes and activities with respect to employment and income generation are most beneficial

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and 85% of beneficiaries, 55% non-beneficiaries and 92.5% of the NGOs workers consider it
highly effective.

The NGOs also positively contribute towards the spread of literacy and education and have
very good impacts in this field. They conduct various literacy and primary educational
campaigning, provide books and other related materials to the needy and poor school-going
children. We found that 80% of the total beneficiary respondents considers the NGOs literacy and
educational programmes and activities are most beneficial. Other stakeholders also perceived
programmes and activities conducted by the NGOs as highly effective. The survey reveals that
enhancing access to schooling is constrained more by a lack of good quality supply than lack of
demand.

The NGOs efforts in the field of rural health and sanitation are quite laudable. They have
been contributing to this field by providing free medical care to the local people, immunization of
pregnant mothers and children, health education, family counseling, training of Angawadi workers
to promote mother and child health, Yoga and nature-therapy, providing latrines and tube wells to
poor families. They have a good impact in the field of rural health and sanitation.

At the time of natural calamities and disasters like floods and cyclones which are frequent
visitors to the areas under study, the NGOs play a significant role too. Their works in this respect
include supply of relief materials during natural calamities, rehabilitating the natural calamities
affected people, imparting training to local people to face natural calamities and conducting
disaster preparedness camps. The services provided by the NGOs in this regard are highly
appreciated by different sections of respondents.

The consequences of Social Defense and Human Service Programmes of the NGOs on the
lives of the rural poor masses are quite revealing. They provide shelter to Aged Persons, take care
of older persons through Day Care centers, de addict of drug addicts, rehabilitate trafficked women
and children and socially challenged.

The study further explores that the NGOs have been able to exert a very good impact on
the people in creating awareness regarding various socio-economic and health related issues
through various programmes as most of the beneficiaries and other respondents consider the
programmes of NGOs as most beneficial and highly effective.

The study indicates an overwhelming majority decision that the activities of NGOs are
beneficial to the communities in which they operate in. This whole-hearted acceptance of the
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programmes and activities of the NGOs can be equated with the acceptance of the NGOs
themselves in the scene of rural development.

This study also contends that local NGOs can and do play a pivotal role in rural
development as a supplement to the development efforts of the governments. However, it is also
observed that the NGOs’ operations in the rural areas are not out of hindrances. They face different
types of difficulties and barriers while working in the grass root levels. One such hindrance is
political. Political factors and local politics more often create obstructions in their way of
functioning in rural areas. It is found that local politics and the role of political leaders have a
bearing upon the NGOs’ programmes and activities.

The analysis also reveals that the NGOs’ founders and authorities are not engaged in
politics and hence are apolitical. As the NGOs have shown in the present analysis, it is possible to
work within an environment of harsh and muddy political realities and bring about development
in rural areas and remain apolitical.

The study reveals that the respondents have major expectations from the role of NGOs in
rural development which include: creation of further employment and livelihood opportunities,
improvement in living, economic and social upliftment, industrialization and infrastructural
development, provision of more health and sanitary facilities, etc.

The Major Implications of the Study are: People support the NGOs’ intervention when their
perceived needs match with the requirements of the projects launched by the NGOs. The shift
towards the project bound and time stipulated activities considerably reduces the space for
interaction with the people. It becomes more focused and narrow. As a result, the other peripheral
needs of rural societies that arise from time to time pass unaddressed in this mode of intervention.
Consequently the people are alienated from the activities of the NGOs. The over emphasis on
projects makes the NGOs appear like a private venture started by the leadership and the paid
organizational staff in their own interest.

The role of chief functionaries of NGOs needs critical reevaluation. The institutional
sustainability of NGOs demands a wider role from the Leadership. The NGOs, if they aim to
strengthen the rural society, must relate their activities with the capacity building of the people in
terms of the priorities decided by the people. Excessive or total dependence on external funding
should be avoided.

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 The study concludes that NGOs’ programmes can provide basic services effectively to a
large, widely distributed rural population and achieve high coverage and relatively good outcomes.
The study has provided evidence to support the view that local NGOs are able to reach the poorest,
vulnerable women and children whose access to government or profitmaking services is restricted.
The NGOs’ programmes have been innovative in developing community participation, gender
equity and local accountability. The NGOs’ role is not limited to ‘gap filling’ and provision of
services in remote or under-served areas. They offer an alternative for international agencies
seeking to reach the poor.

Though success has been achieved in developing rural poor through NGOs’ intervention
and government efforts, rural India still continues to suffer from lack of basic amenities and
services, lack of employment and self-employment opportunities owing to its narrow economic
base and lac daisiscal government attitudes towards the rural areas. So there is the need for
integrated rural development and development should also not be left in the hands of the state
alone but other development agents must come on board to support. Effective relationships among
the NGOs and responsible government agencies supported by international partners have to be
developed.

The following recommendations are to NGOs, residents and various government

functionaries. NGOs should use their resources to provide sanitary facilities like place of
convenience and incinerators, clinics and health centers as they are being requested by the residents
of the study area and also senior high schools, technical and vocational centers should be built. As
the activities of NGOs are beneficial and to some extent meeting respondents at their point of need
so they should stay on course and try to do more and extend their duration. Essential services such
as transportation networks, educational infrastructure, health facilities, sporting/recreational
infrastructure and economic/commercial facilities must be provided and existing ones upgraded.

To avoid red-tapism prevailing in our bureaucratic system, local offices and

decentralization should be deepened. NGOs have to increase their collaboration with members of
the community to win their full trust. It is also recommended to NGOs to periodically review the
needs of the people in their operational areas through periodic communal meetings. Government
should establish institutions responsible for the monitoring of activities of NGOs, to ban the bad
ones whose interest is profit making. The needed skills should be given to the local people who
see to the monitoring of projects. In order to achieve sustainable rural development, there is need
for the NGOs and the government to make a shift towards working as partners in development. It
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is time to broach the idea of a national accreditation agency for non-profits to make them more
accountable and transparent.

The government agencies should engage NGOs to provide ‘value-add’ services to national
strategies including capacity building, monitoring and evaluation and other aspects of development
and service initiatives.

The study also opens new horizons for further research. The NGOs are grass root level
organizations having their activities confined to the village and local bodies. So there exists a
significant association between the NGOs and the decentralized planning. But so far no authentic
records and literatures are available on linkages between NGOs and decentralized planning. A
serious study is required to this end. There is a scope for carrying out research exclusively on
autonomy and self-sustenance of NGOs. The observation also helps to identify a further research
on NGOs with regard to their monetary management and accountability. This study has focused
only on some aspects of NGO activities and that is too from a macro and perceptional perspective.
So further research is required on every single programme specific activity.

******

Signature of the Supervisor Signature of the Candidate

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