Join Telegram for More Update : - https://t.

me/upsc_pdf

The community learns from its own involvement and from this point of view, participation is a 2 way learning
process in which the administrator and the people become co-learners
Active community participation helps rebuild community cohesion and installs a sense of dignity into the
community. People gain in confidence and steadily emerge as real actors in the development process.

Q. Is community participation then- the answer to all development problems?

Critics of community participation argue: participation has popularity without clarity and is subject to growing
faddishness and a lot of lip service.
Serious analysis of local community life reveals differentiation in terms of status, income and power. Conflicts and
rivalries are not uncommon even among the poor and underprivileged. The romantic vision of frictionless,
harmonious community life does not match ground realities
External intervention by social workers or political activists has been found necessary almost everywhere to organize
the local community and mobilize the local people
It has also been observed that there is an imaginary notion of continuous activism by the local people behind all
discussions on community participation. Total and continuous commitment to activism is more a revolutionary’s
dream than the poor people’s actual behaviour
There are critics who doubt the efficacy of community participation in bringing about radical change in the life of the
poor and the underprivileged through autonomous local action only. Small changes are not ruled out, but community
participation,to be really effective, needs profound social structural change at both domestic and international levels.
Community mobilization cannot, on its own, correct the basic social imbalances that have their roots in deeper socio-
economic layers of the society
Marxist argument: participatory development within capitalistic mode is unworkable, the purpose of participation is
to diffuse revolutionary movements and create an illusion of solution. The state seeks to subvert popular movements
through manipulative co-optation of the poor

Q. Okay. Participatory development has its faults and shortcomings but it does stand for action, equity in resource
distribution & social capital and hence cannot be ignored. What is the role of state in all this?
The state plays a fundamental role in helping or hindering participation. Different social science theories evoke
different images of state-society relationships. While Marxian and elite theories are pessimistic about the possibility
of community participation, liberal-democratic and pluralist theories are much more helpful.
State’s actions depend upon the definition and purpose of community participation, state’s perception about its role
and the political will to decentralize power and resources to local institutions
Accordingly 4 different state’s responses have emerged (ideal models to characterize better):
Anti-participatory mode: The state in a capitalist system is interested, not in ameliorating the conditions of the poor,
but in promoting the interests of capital and the ruling class. Power is, therefore, concentrated and not dispersed to
facilitate accumulation of wealth
Manipulative mode: The state follows a diplomatic approach and the state support to community participation is
intended to ensure political and social control as well as reduce local development costs and facilitate successful
project implementation. State seeks to neutralize political opposition by co-opting autonomous movements with the
ulterior motive of gaining control over them. The rhetoric of participation is invoked to mobilize local labour in state’s
development activities and to give legitimacy to the regime in power
Incremental mode: It is marked by an ambivalent approach to community participation. There is no lack of
government support to participation but the policy is unclear and piecemeal & ad-hoc approaches are the norm. The
state in reality is not willing to part with power and to devolve resources to local community groups. Also, the
bureaucrats and the technocrats have their own ways of bringing about “efficient” local development management.
Still, community participation is not, in theory, rejected and decentralisation continues in an ad-hoc fashion with a
plurality of actors

3 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

 Join Telegram for More Update : - https://t.me/upsc_pdf

Participatory mode: Characterized by state’s own initiative to create institutions of community participation to ensure
effective involvement at the grassroots level. There are no ulterior motives and genuine popular involvement is
ensured by providing resources to local bodies and sensitizing bureaucracy through training and directives. Within an
overall development planning framework, the central, regional and local development policies and activities are
harmonized through positive political will and bureaucratic support
[Follow-up Q: Which of these modes is true for India? Have we evolved from one mode to another or is there one
particular mode more applicable or does the state adopt different modes at different times/places]
Enough of participation, lets come to voluntary organisations:

Q: What is a NGO?
According to the World Bank, “a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) is a private organization that pursues
activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social
services, or undertake community development”. In other words, NGOs are legally constituted organizations, operate
independently from the government and are generally considered to be “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who
pursue purposes of public interest”. The primary objective of NGOs is to provide social justice, development and
human rights. NGOs are generally funded totally or partly by governments and they maintain their non-governmental
status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization.
In a democratic society, it is the state that has the ultimate responsibility for ushering development to its citizens. In
India, through the progressive interpretation of the Constitution and its laws and policies, the scope of development
has been significantly broadened to include not just economic progress for citizens, but also promotion of social
justice, gender equity, inclusion, citizen’s awareness, empowerment and improved quality of life. To achieve this
holistic vision of development, the state requires the constructive and collaborative engagement of the civil society in
its various developmental activities and programs. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as the operational arm of
the civil society therefore have an important role in the development processes.

Q: What are the different types of civil society organizations?

Civil rights advocacy organizations: to promote human rights of specific social groups e.g. women, migrants,
disabled, HIV, sex workers, Dalit people, tribal people, and the likes.
Civil liberties advocacy organizations: to promote individual civil liberties and human rights of all citizens,
rather than focusing on particular social group.
Community based organizations, citizen’s groups, farmers’ cooperatives: to increase citizen’s participation
on public policy issues so as to improve the quality of life in a particular community.
Business and industry chambers of commerce: to promotion policies and practices on business.
Labour unions: to promote the rights of employees and workers.
International peace and human rights organizations: to promote peace and human rights.
Media, communication organization: to produce, disseminate, or provide production facilities in one or more
media forms; it includes television, printing and radio.
National resources conservation and protection organizations: to promote conservation of natural
resources, including land, water, energy, wildlife and plant resources, for public use.
Private and public foundations: to promote development through grant- making and partnership.
Also the Civil society includes - Political Parties; Religious Organizations; Housing cooperatives, slum dwellers
and resident welfare associations.

Q: What has been the interaction and relationship between the Indian state and NGOs like?
In India the state policies have significantly influenced the formation of NGOs and their activities. The government
sponsored and aided programmes provided financial assistance to NGOs either as grants or as matching grants to
support the implementation of social development projects. The need for the involvement of voluntary organisations
has been acknowledged by a number of official committees dealing with development.

4 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf