Dr. Arvind Kumar*
India is a diverse country with a large population that faces various challenges related to poverty, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and employment. The government of India has launched several policies and initiatives over the years to address these challenges and enable communities to achieve their full potential. These initiatives have led to increased financial inclusion, improved healthcare facilities, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship opportunities, and better employment prospects. The progress made so far in implementing these policies has been impressive. For instance, National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill, 2023 was approved on June by the Union Cabinet at a total estimated cost of Rs. 50,000 crore during five years (2023-28). The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has provided financial services to millions of people, while Ayushman Bharat has facilitated access to quality healthcare for many vulnerable families. The Digital India initiative has provided internet connectivity to millions of people, the Make in India initiative has created job opportunities in the manufacturing sector. We applaud various stimulus package placed for MSME, agriculture and health sectors to uplift the economy. The various missions like poshan Abhiyaan, Jal Jivan Mission etc. and also how India has played a critical role in the global south countries and G-20 meetings and appreciation of WHO DG for India’s efforts towards helping the poor and needy during the pandemic is a testimony to this.
Looking to the future, there is still scope for further development and improvement. There are several challenges that the government must address, including reducing economic inequality, improving access to education, and enhancing digital infrastructure in rural areas. With the right policies and initiatives, these challenges can be overcome, and the communities in India can continue to thrive. Overall, the government’s efforts in enabling the community in India have been commendable, and there is optimism that the country’s progress will continue in the future. Despite all these wonderful initiatives, missions and policies there is still a part of society that is being left and moved to the sidelines. It is the civil society sector. Civil society is an essential building block of development and national cohesion. In a country blessed with peace and stability, civil society fills the space untouched by government and the private sector. In a fragile and conflict-ridden country, it plays an even more important role of providing services normally the responsibility of the state and business and can lay the foundation for reconciliation.
CSOs the harbingers of multisectors
The purpose of writing this blog is to bring notice to the insights on the civil society organizations in India. CSOs are ‘Jagrit Nagriks’ (awakened citizens) working through ‘integrated and whole of society approach’ understanding the pulse at the grassroots and engaging closely with communities. Many CSOs in India stand out of the basket of socio-economic support, financial mechanisms, manpower and availability of alternate livelihoods amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Given their passion for society, If CSOs are incentivized and galvanized, can’t they play an instrumental and sensitized role to bring change and support ‘Rashtra Nirmaan’ efforts? We at India Water Foundation, New Delhi based civil society and think tank; treasure the valuable leadership at the apex of governance with pride and deep reverence and pledges enthusiasm, commitment and untiring support towards Government of India’s efforts.
It is worth mentioning here that although the NRF will forge collaborations between business, academia, government departments, and research institutions to create an interaction mechanism for the participations and contribution of industries and State governments. CSOs have been conveniently omitted from it. The institutions have been supported by ample funding, even exceeding their needs which they are unable to utilize whereas CSOs are struggling to sustain. The top down approach has been adopted to the core but where is the bottom up approach? Leveraging ‘horizontal partnerships’, CSOs are the eyes and ears of government and showcase a repository of ‘good samaritans’ amongst the public, It is heartening to hear India’s leading think-tank NITI Aayog, successfully galvanizing a network of 92,000 CSOs and NGOs to harness their strengths and resources, expertise in key social sectors-nutrition, health, sanitation, education, and extensive reach in the community.
Way Forward
In order to maintain a pendulum balance between our road ahead to fulfilling national priorities of New India @75 and SDGs 2030, CSOs role as a ‘catalyst’ is going to be foundational and profound given our presence right from the local to expanded global arenas. The role of CSOs working in tandem with Public-Private-People partnership shall foster symbiotic relationship for collective societal impact. CSOs have limited resource mobilization and absence of regular income is placing many of them in jeopardy. Mistakes by some have tarnished the image of ‘concerned & awakened’ CSOs. In a nutshell, we are far from ‘no one is left behind’ and lack of substantial support, appreciation, national/regional encouragement makes self reliance for them a distant dream. Key CSOs that are professional, sustainably funded and branded are involved in policy advocacy, institutional and infrastructural support to realize various socio-economic development prerogatives. They are best suited for coordination, cooperation and convergence and with suitable funding wont the impact be comprehensive especially if we want to transform into a 5 trillion economy.
We have numerous missions which are being implemented at grassroots but wouldn’t it be easy if CSOs are also roped in as partners with the government to implement these missions and especially not on probono basis. Probono does not pay bills neither it provides with a robust infrastructure. Due to lack of funds CSOs face manpower crunch as well. When the government is compassionate towards MSMEs, Farmers etc and creates bailout packages for them why not for civil societies as well? Moreover, through Track 2 and 3 diplomacy channels, success stories and best practices are communicated from local to regional platforms and vice-versa. They monitor government policies and actions and hold government accountable. They engage in advocacy and offer alternative policies for government, the private sector, and other institutions. They deliver services, especially to the poor and underserved. They defend citizen rights and work to change and uphold social norms and behaviors. We are living in unprecedented times and in such a scenario strengthened civil societies shall prove instrumental to foster cross-sectoral synergy and mitigate challenges faced by different sectors which India Water Foundation has been supportive of since its inception. Like in Europe, Brazil, Argentina and in neighboring country Bangladesh CSOs are on the front lines of helping governments in achieving sustainable development, filling the gaps and have come together with a set of strategies to support the government.
*Editor, Focus Global Reporter
