Ascent of the Third Sector in the Indian Socio-Economic Grid Wide Spectrum of NGOs The 27th of February has been declared as the World NGO Day by the European Union External Service Action. “Today we celebrate the World NGO Day,we celebrate the key Civil Society’s contribution to public space and their unique ability to give voice to those who would otherwise have gone unheard.” These words speak volumes of the acclivity of the NGOs, the world over. The Lokpal Bill Crusade by Anna Hazare is an evidence of the constructive role of the Civil Society and the wide dimensions,the Third Sector has assumed in India today.Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation’s Rally for Rivers was supported by people across the length and breadth of India.The Triple Talaq Ban plea by Ishrat Jahan’s Muslim Women’s Quest for Equality is the latest success story of NGOs in our nation. NGO is a concomitant of the fast emerging and articulate Civil Society which is a resultant of the over- burdened and less-performing government.”Civil Sector or social sector are other terms for the sector, emphasizing its relationship to civil society”. The term“Non-governmental Organization” was coined when the United Nations Organization came into existence in 1945.“Today,according to the United Nations, any kind of private organization that is independent from government control can be termed an NGO, provided it is not for profit and simply not an opposition political party.” “NGO is any non-profit ,voluntary citizens group which is organised on a local, national or international level.Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest ,NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions,bring citizens’ concerns to governments,advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information”,according to sources. Some of the acronyms acquired by the NGO are:TSO-Third Sector Organization;INGO-Internationational NGO;SBO-Social Benefit Organization;CSO-Civil Society Organization;ENGO-Environmental NGO; “The essential features of NGOs are:A.)They are Voluntary associations created by people having a common interest;B.)They are Autonomous bodies regulated by their own policies and procedure,free from government control;C.)They are created with a Non-Profit/Non-Business and Service motive”, covering areas of social welfare,economic welfare,environmental issues,corruption in the elected and administrative bodies,protection of animals etc.D.)They largely raise their Own Funds by way of donations from public, members and/or Corporates while some also are funded partially by the government. In India,the NGOs have begun playing a predominant role in the socio-economic scenario since the 1970s and thus acquired the status of Third Sector after the Government Sector and Private Sector. As per statistics ,India has around 3.2 million registered non-government organizations (NGOs). Indians have more per capita NGOs than hospital beds. The Central Statistical Organization of India states there are around four NGOs for every 1,000 people in urban areas and 2.3 NGOs for every 1,000 rural population. Their work spans a wide spectrum, from judiciary to legislatures to media and to the socio- -2- economic and the cultural.There is hardly any ministry that does not support or engage an NGO. This wide reach has aptly given it the name Third Sector. In India Voluntary organizations should mandatorily be registered under Central or State law on the basis of Legal Status,as Societies,or as Charitable Trusts(Public/Private),or as Non-profit Companies; and on the basis of Functioning,as Co-op.Societies,or Multi State Co-op. Societies,Trade Unions and Religious Bodies. Indian history is replete with examples of the people and rulers extending charity to the needy at all times and to the people displaced during natural calamities such as cyclone,floods,earthquakes,epidemics,war and famine.However,in ancient India service to the people was motivated by religious sentiments such as Salvation and Atonement for sins. The formation of numerous social and liberal organizations in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century were the precursors of the present NGOs.Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for freedom and the launch of social reforms against child marriage,sati,untouchability,landlord domination,polygamy,and advocating girls’ education and widow marriage is a brilliant example of voluntary and non-government organization. The Servants of India Society, Arya Samaj,Sewa,Eklavya,Disha etc. were voluntary organizations formed alongside the freedom movement. According to reports,the Government of India sought the participation of Social Service Organisations(today’s NGOs),in planning a scheme for rural education as early as in 1955.During the 6th Five Year Plan,GOI, coined the Garibi Hatao slogan and recognized the efforts of the NGOs in the process of nation building.In the 7th Five Year Plan it gave the task of developing “self reliant communities”in the rural areas to the NGOs. Government of India in September 1986 set up the CAPART –Council for the Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology-as a part of the Ministry of Rural Development for NGO Funding and a holistic approach towards rural development. VANI-Voluntary Action Network India- was started in 1988as an apex body,with a vision of building a society where voluntarism and voluntary organizations play a dominant and constructive role in social cohesion,economic empowerment and nation building,The two bear a testimony to the Government’s support to the Voluntary Organisations. In the 8th Five Year Plan it sought to promote nationwide network of NGOs.In the 9th F.Y.Pl.it envisaged the primary role of PPPs in India-of which the NGOs were an inherent part.In the 10th F.Y.Pl.the NGOs were directly encouraged by the GOI.to give a boost to the agrarian sector by promoting awareness about government initiatives in modern farm techniques.Post Liberalisation ,the 1990s and the introduction of the Panchayati Raj System in 1992 together witnessed a boom in the NGOs and the activities of the Civil Society alongside increase in foreign funding for the projects of the NGOs.The Voluntary Organisations began focusing on the functions granted to the Gram Panchayats/Panchayat Samithis/ Zilla Paishads ,the three tier local administration,by the Parliament. “Civil Society has three functions –to inform,empower and ensure accountability whenever the government gets distracted”,in the words of a Parliamentarian.The series of legislations such as the Right to Information,Right to Education,Forest Rights,Rural Empolyment Guarantee Act resulted from the endeavours of the new NGOs. Numerous NGOs have won international acclaim for their pioneering efforts in various arenas in India.The numero uno is Kailash Satyarthi and his Bachpan Bachao Andolan,the Nobel Laureate for championing the cause of Child Labour in India and many other countries. Some of the others to win international awards are: 1 Acharya Vinoba Bhave Bhoodan Movement Ramon Magsaysay Award 2. Kurien Amul Milk Co-op.Movement -do- 3. Prema Goplalan Swayam Shikshan Prayog UN Climate Award 4. Bharti Chaturvedi Chintan US First Innovation Award 5. Bezwada Wilson Safai Karmachari Andolan Ramon Magsaysay Award 6. Sandeep Pandey Asha For Education -do- 7. Dara N.Khurody Kaira District Milk Producers’Union -do- 8. M.S.Swaminathan Green Revolutin -do- 9. Ela Bhatt SEWA -do- 10. Anshu Gupta Goonj World Bank Award The list of Indian NGOs who are international awardees is a long one. These multitudinous Voluntary Organisations which constitute the major arm of our Civil Society,have successfully placed India on the rails of all round progress.They have cast their spell of development in the following areas:1.Education for the hitherto backward and neglected groups such as girls,tribes and poor communities;2.Women Empowerment;3.Child Labour;4.Immoral Trafficking of women;5.Child Trafficking;6.Waste Mangers/Rag Pickers;7.Environmental Protection;8.Toilets in public places;9.Self Defence for girls;10.Casual Labour;11.Rights of Organized Labour;12.Savings Schemes and Life Insurance Schemes;13.Right to Information;14.MNREGA;15.Food for the starving;16.Mid-day Meals for the school children;17.Orphan Protection and Adoption;18.Juvenile Justice; 19.Laws for protection against sexual misdemeanor; However,there is a detrimental side of Voluntary Organisations.According to reports,some foreign funded NGOs such as Green Peace,Action Aid,Cordaid,Amnesty International are “negatively impacting economic development”by fostering anti-nuclear,anti-coal and anti-genetically modified food(GMO)activism.Some have proved to aid terrorist activities and religious conversions.Similarly,the protest against Kudankulam Atomic Project in Tamilnadu,by the People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy which demanded augmentation of the mandatory safeguards for a Nuclear Reactor,was construed as being lethal to the country’s progress. The safeguards against NGOs instigating negative activism and derailing progress are transparency of allocation of funds, accountability and punitive measures enforceable by way of legislation.Likewise,strict monitoring of NGOs’activities is mandatory to counter attempts to camaflouage money laundering and terrorist activities behind the façade of Altruism.As per sources,foreign funding is under the scanner of FCRA. The beneficence and constructive role of the copious Voluntary Organisations will definitely build a splendid India. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. .