NGOs and Socio-Economic Development Opportunities

During recent years there has been a growing realisation of the important role that voluntary organisations, now known better as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), can play in socio-economic development. This is particularly so for bringing about decentralised development with a focus on upliftment of the weaker sections of the society. The emergence of such an approach has been largely due to the disillusionment with the earlier adopted strategy of development dominated by the overbearing role of the state as well as the spectacular performance of several NGOs in different parts of the country. Government has also realised the immense potential of NGOs in the development process as can be seen from the approach adopted since the Seventh Five Year Plan. Study of NGO’s role in development has, therefore, become increasingly important specially as there are very few books on the subject matter. The book would be useful to students and researchers, administrators and Policy makers, functionaries of Panchayati Raj institutions, NGOs and all those interested in socio-economic development.