The future of India’s civil society organizations

Contact Counsellor

CategoryPolity

Last Updated20/04/2023

Central government has been accused of weakening India’s civil society organizations (CSO) both in the pre legislative stage and in the redress of lacunae in the implementation of government schemes.

Plugging the Implementation Gap: NGOs play important role in the promotion and implementation of important rights-based legislation such as RTI, FRA 2006, RTE 2010, and the MGNREGA
Support for sectors untouched by the state: Providing aid to migrants, human and labour rights, Tribal welfare (Nilgiris Wynaad Tribal Welfare Society (NWTWS)), Women advocacy (ActionAid India, Sewa, Eklavya, Sathin, Disha work for women empowerment)
Promotes community-based organizations (SHG, and Farmer’s organizations): these organizations are critical in bringing about changes at the grass-roots level
Work as Pressure Group: NGOs mobilize people for their rights as well as educate communities against harmful policies of government e.g. Narmada Bachao Andolan work for the rights of displaced people
Bring about behavioural changes: NGOs work against superstition, false faith, Beliefs, and Customs e.g. Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS); or Committee for Eradication of Blind Faith, CEBF)
Promoting Environmentalism: Green Peace, Vanashakti NGO, etc.

Because civil society is seen to be the new frontier for war and foreign interference, there has been a systematic clampdown on CSOs lobbying for greater constitutional and civil freedoms by a plethora of the state's governing instruments and nonstate actors.
This has been further exacerbated by restricting the access of CSOs to resources Including
canceling Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act or FCRA clearances
revoking 12A/80g Licenses, imposing retrospective taxes, and
pressuring private companies and philanthropists to redirect funding.

Inaccessibility of Fund
The politicization of NGOs
Involvement in Anti-national activity
Lack of transparency and accountability
Undermine India’s Development: An IB report said in 2014 that working of NGOs such as Greenpeace, Cordaid, and Amnesty have reduced India’s GDP by 2-3%
Loss of registrations
Non-utilization of fund for which it was meant
Civil societies are under deep suspicion:
In the 73rd graduation ceremony of the Indian Police Academy in November 2021. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had warned budding police officers that “civil society was the new frontier of war”.

Because of the financial and structural constraints imposed on them, CSOs/movements are bleeding conscientious youngsters, who naturally need some financial sustenance.
Without sustained support, CSOs cannot positively mould public discourse or make a tangible impact on the nation at large.
With governments consciously avoiding CSOs/movements, their ability to shape policy is diminished which adversely impacts organisational morale.

We need to collectively forge a plan of action for this sector’s future.
The one possibility that could emerge is that young activists could be inducted into political parties, either within the party organization or in an aligned body.
This could create an institutionalized moral force within the parties.
This would order parties a layered systematic approach to thorny issues.

Inaction today will directly contribute to the extinction of civil society, arguably the fifth pillar of Indian democracy.
Transcending instrumental exigencies, conscientious Indians must find the courage to work together and only through such a principled coalition can we first safeguard, and eventually further, the constitutional idea of India.