In India, the social sector has been playing a crucial role in the progress of the country since independence. As an ever-young, ever-dynamic, and ever-confident nation, India is aiming to rise higher, dream big, and aspire even bigger to take the next leap and become a global superpower. The social sector has been doing all that it can to make this journey fully inclusive, holistic, and meaningful. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are instrumental in addressing critical socio-development issues, especially for the benefit of the marginalised population. Non-profit organisations are contributing towards driving sustainable development growth and creating a healthy social impact through their work in diverse areas, such as education, healthcare, agriculture, food security, poverty alleviation, livelihood generation, human rights, gender empowerment, and environmental conservation, among others.
In a holistically diverse nation such as India, regional NGOs, with their local presence and grassroots connections, have a deep understanding of region-specific issues as they directly engage with diverse communities across the nation and address their specific needs. India aspires to play a larger and more significant role on the global stage, and it has set numerous targets pertaining to the social sector, such as eradicating tuberculosis in India by 2025, achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all schools by 2026–27, and reducing the poverty rate to 10 per cent by 2030. But can we achieve it without the active intervention of NGOs and community participation?
The Central Statistical Institute of India reports that the country has 33 lakh NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) or CSOs (Community Service Organisations). During the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the funding for the NGOs and other grassroots organisations was drastically hampered, they endlessly continued working on the ground for the benefit of the communities. The post-pandemic world in the Indian development sector is witnessing a significant transformation. Most of the grassroot non-profits still do not have enough funds to sustain their benefits beyond six months or less and are still unimaginably struggling to stabilise. Constrained by limited time, funds, and resources, NGOs struggle to prioritise and implement efforts aimed at strengthening their capabilities.
Once, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Hon’ble Former President of India, aptly said, "Building capacity dissolves differences. It irons out inequalities." Given the huge responsibility that these NGOs shoulder across the length and breadth of our country, ensuring their well-being and capacity building becomes imperative to help them operate in an enhanced and efficient manner while providing them with the much-needed strategic direction for ideating, planning, implementing, executing, monitoring, and evaluating programmes effectively. However, capacity building is a massive challenge, as there is a complete lack of it. There is a pressing need to realise the importance of capacity building and institutional well-being for the better functioning of NGOs vis-à-vis their on-ground programme management. There is an urgency to perceive NGOs as the lifeline of the social sector in India and ensure their sustenance and preparedness for the future. The resilience of NGOs would depend on the efficiency and effectiveness derived from well-established processes and systems that govern operations and programmes.
The Government of India should look at supporting grassroots organisations to ensure they receive capital not just for programmatic interventions but also for their own well-being as organisations. The NGOs should be able to invest money in their own development, including streamlining aspects like sustainable infrastructure, talent acquisition and retention, implementing the latest technology for efficient work, communications, etc. A comprehensive capacity-strengthening programme should be implemented to empower non-profit organisations to develop their plans incrementally and in an organised manner.
The Indian government should focus on adopting a collaborative approach with key stakeholders in the ecosystem. Exploring and utilising the expertise and power of multiple stakeholders can help deliver financial support, technical expertise, and training opportunities to strengthen the capacities of NGOs. For instance, The GROW Fund by EdelGive Foundation brought multiple funder organisations together to support 100 NGOs from all over India, working in different domains such as climate, animal welfare, education, gender rights, health, and poverty. Through a collaborative approach, The GROW Fund delivered training sessions around capacity building, thereby helping the NGOs identify their areas of improvement and take the necessary steps to act on them.
Similarly, supporting the capacity building of NGOs would bring significant benefits to the entire nation and help us achieve our socio-development goals at a faster pace. By investing in capacity development, NGOs would be better equipped to implement effective programmes, leverage resources, and maximise their impact. This would lead to improved service delivery, enhanced social welfare, and increased community empowerment. Furthermore, capacity building for grassroots organisations would foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation within the sector, promoting sustainable development and creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Ultimately, our beloved nation would benefit from the positive outcomes and transformative changes brought about by empowered and resilient NGOs.
As we look forward in our journey to take India to newer heights, it is crucial to recognise the role and contribution of organisations working in the social sector and support their well-being. Through the combined force of the public, private, and social sectors, we can lead India into the next era of change, truly transforming our nation into a force to reckon with.
Khan is a Rajya Sabha MP. She is also the national president of the Nationalist Mahila Congress (NCP's Women's Wing) and is a former Maharashtra minister.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.