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Policy formation is an important function of the administration and has the roles of important offices involved in it. The cabinet and the planning commission is something which is always talked about but there is also another aspect that is the civil society organizations.
It is said that policy-making is incomplete without the contribution of civil society groups that work for the welfare and sustenance of society.
The role of civil society can be traced back to the pre-independence era. Civil society started to emerge during the national movement.
At that time the civil society was aided by many governmental provisions including the reservation of about one-fifth of the parliamentary constituencies for SC (scheduled castes) and ST (scheduled tribes).
Keeping all this in mind the role of civil society has increased and seems to be prominent in the field of policy-making. The role of the civil service organization (CSOs) was first emphasized in the Tenth Five-Year Plan.
These organizations include a variety of types like voluntary organizations, corporate bodies, cooperatives, and trusts which are into works of social and economic development. The CSOs also include NGOs, research institutes, and religious organizations.
Roles and Functions:
Civil society organizations are expected to play an important role in the aspects of development as a planner and also as an implementer of the development programs.
It needs to act as an enabler and innovator and also as a builder of a self-sustainable society. During sometimes it also acts as a mediator between the people and the government.
There are other specific roles performed by the CSOs which are as follows:
1) Supporting Government Plans and Projects:
CSOs help the government to determine the proper location for innovative projects. They also suggest ways to overcome some problems that are faced during the implementation of those projects.
We can understand that the CSOs contribute during the time of planning itself. The main reason to have them as a partner during implementation is that; they work faster than a government bureaucracy and are flexible and democratic.
2) Facilitating the Communication in the Process:
Communication is important in the field of policy-making and CSOs being close to the community they have a good feel of the community response and also basic needs of citizens.
They win the trust of the people by using interpersonal methods which in the process of policy-making can count important.
3) Mobilizing Local Resources:
The government does not necessarily have the connection to the local resource which the CSOs have so they play a crucial role while mobilizing those resources for the government plans.
Their efforts can also be seen during the post-disaster phase when they provide rehabilitation and reconstruction.
4) Monitoring and Evaluation of Government Policies:
As we already know that the CSOs research the formulation of policies, it also monitors the implementation, and evaluates whether implemented policies are doing good and also if needed what changes are to be done.
5) Facilitates the Development:
The CSO actors develop programs to provide assistance and training to volunteers and various personnel.
The nature of civil society organization in India is complex and therefore has spurred debates about its regional variations and its capacity to improve governance.
The government can utilize the services of the CSOs and therefore should appreciate the actors behind those CSOs. The CSOs are also providing better facilities which the government doesn’t need to worry about as they are done at the level of the normal people and acts as one less job of the government.
Even a few organizations are suspected of corruption but it is believed and also told that the actors behind this civil society organization should refrain from these kinds of activities.
Written by: Bhavish Doshi
Edited by: Gourav Chowdhury
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