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The
socio-cultural diversity of the North-Eastern region is
immense and its needs different. During the last three
decades, the people have gained very little from official
development initiatives. Production (except tea and oil,
over which indigenous people have very little control)
was at the sustenance level in most sectors
(predominantly agriculture, sericulture, cottage
industries etc.) during the fifties and the sixties. But
rapid influx and growth of population have adversely
affected the simple and nature-dependent life-style of
most people. The environment, forests, wet-lands, chars
(river islands) and other naturally productive
eco-systems have been gravely (and in many cases
irreversibly) disturbed and tribals and poor people have
lost their supply of firewood, housing materials and
food. People’s natural tolerance has been tested to
the hilt and it is not very surprising that insurgency
has made deep in-roads into the minds of a section of
people. Though insurgency cannot solve their problems,
they believe that there is no other alternative. Social Interventions
How can
voluntary organisations and their efforts help the people
of North-East? The answer is not easy. In this respect,
it is important to remember the socio-cultural
differences and difficulties faced by tribal and tribal
like communities. Historically, no exploitative and
ruthless ruling class existed in many parts, and tribal
and rural societies managed their own affairs (like
marriage, rituals and delivery of justice) locally in a
participatory and co-operative manner. Unfortunately,
those systems have broken down, over the years, due to
the introduction of centrally driven (in name of
federalism) eco-political systems. The market-economy and
the idiot-box have driven the last nail on the
egalitarian and simple social systems of the North-East.
Today, there are a good number of organisations in the
North-East registered as voluntary agencies. Perhaps
Manipur has the largest density; but in most cases, such
organisations are not strong or competent enough to live
in difficult areas. It is not my intention to say that
there are no well-motivated and service-oriented persons
or groups in the region. However, there are certain
problems that are common to many organisations, some of
which are :
- Lack of
Accountability: Many well-motivated
organisations do not keep a minimum or an
objective record of their activities,
achievements and financial transactions. Such
lapses land them in trouble and funding agencies
also find it difficult to support them in spite
of their best intentions.
- Lack of expertise :
To deliver the goods to the weaker sections at
low cost, as per the purpose of funding, is not
an easy job. Knowledge of innovative and
appropriate technologies and methodologies are
needed for this purpose. Unfortunately, the
voluntary sector of this region does not have
access to persons with reasonable degree of
technical skills.
- Communication Gap :
Transport infrastructure is very weak besides
considerable difficulties in one-to-one
communication. The two most important problems in
this area are the multiplicity of languages and
the problem of software development.
Due to the increased
attention given to the region by funding agencies, a good
number of people from other states have come to work in
people-oriented programmes run by the government,
semi-government and non-government agencies. This is a
positive sign. But unlike the Western and European
missionaries who did commendable work on the development
of languages, the new batch of development workers are
not proficient in any of the regional languages. Some
people who have been working in the region for years,
still find it difficult to communicate properly with the
grassroots people. It will be a great handicap, if the
leaders of the voluntary sector fail in this aspect.
- Proliferation of
GONGO: Due to the emphasis given to
peoples’ participation in development work
through NGOs, there has been a marked tendency
for the Government to float ‘Non-Government
Organisations’. These Govt. sponsored NGOs
(GONGO) are taking away the major share of funds
earmarked for NGOs. Chief Ministers and District
Collectors, now-a-days, head a very large number
of very big and no-so-big such organisations.
Long-term effect of such organisations may not be
very helpful for the smooth functioning of
voluntary organisations.
- Non-availability
of Workers: All NGOs are forced to work with
minimum possible infrastructures. However, a
small independent existence (in terms of space)
and a few dedicated full-time workers are
essential for doing any meaningful work over a
period time. Of course, these persons should be
carefully selected, well-trained and properly
oriented and motivated.
- Absence of Study
Courses: There is a tremendous lack of
appropriate courses in social work as a part of
formal education within this region. Such a
course may motivate some fresh graduates to look
for job opportunities in the NGO sector.
Any new NGO, contemplating
to start operations in the North-East should address two
very pertinent questions.
- Whether there is a
space left for it in the development sector?
- What are the
meaningful areas of development interventions?
There still exists several
areas where NGOs can really make their presence felt. The
needs of the region are vast. The development initiatives
of Govt. organisations, though well intentioned, have not
really been very effective in most cases. Plans are
usually borrowed, imitative, exploitative and
neo-colonial in nature. An agricultural plan that was
successful in the United States or even in Punjab may
fail in the North-East, because of geo-climatic,
socio-cultural and economic reasons.
To ensure sustainability, any development plan/work in
this region must be environment-friendly. The eco-system
of the region is rich with abundant rain and sun. But we
should not forget the fragility of the environment, in a
geo-technologically active area, that also has mighty
rivers flowing through it. Rapid deforestation and
irrational land use patterns have played havoc with the
environment and the ethnic life-styles of the inhabitants
of the region. A degraded eco-system and its effects
on people’s health and culture can be counted as a
stress-condition (eco-stress) that may be dangerous for
the individual as well as the society.
Under these circumstances, NGOs may be encouraged to
start pioneering projects in the following productive and
globally important areas:
- Alternative and
Sustainable Farming: Such systems exist in
the region. For example, L.N. Reddy’s 4.2
hectare farm with poultry dairy, which utilizes a
mixed organic farming technique. Another case in
point is Masanobu Fukoka’s ‘do
nothing’ farming based on no-ploughing,
no-chemical fertilizer or pesticides and
no-weeding. However, aspects of sustainability,
productivity and methodology should be properly
assessed by the NGO and should be combined with
clear action plans and awareness building
programmes.
- Empowerment of
Indigenous People : The Indigenous people
living in reserve forest areas should be educated
to go for sustainable forest management on a
resource sharing basis. A lot of ground work,
studies and participatory discussions will be
necessary before such an effort becomes
beneficial to both the environment and the
people.
- Integrated Farming
: This includes pisciculture, horticulture,
plastic culture (green house) and raising of
valuable trees. In the North-East, fish is a
favourite food which is a very good source of
protein. Large quantities of fish is imported to
this region. There is no reason why fish cannot
be produced in this water-rich region. Motivated
and capable NGOs may be encouraged to help the
people start fisheries which will ensure regular
incomes and supply whole-some food to the
population.
- Sericulture :
This can be another income-generating activity at
the local level. Raising and use of "Eri,
Mooga and Pat" were known to the people of
the region from time immemorial. These high-value
products can be initiated anywhere in the
North-East (except in low-lying areas) including
forest areas. More over, the rearing process is
eco-friendly and the waste products easily
usable. The products have a good internal market
and great export potential as well.
Yet, this important area
of the economy is not in a very good shape at present,
essentially due to lack of proper vision, integration and
management. NGOs must be trained and supported to
integrate constructive programmes into the dynamics of
the whole process.
- Functional and
Effective Literacy: Literacy in a
multi-lingual setting is a difficult proposition.
Further, adult literacy in a visual age (TV) is a
more difficult task, unless the people are
meaningfully involved in the process. The problem
of school drop-outs is growing. This requires the
attention of the voluntary sector. Programmes
must be area-specific and problem-solving in
nature. It is ridiculous to copy experiences from
other regions, howsoever, successful they may
have been.
- Holistic Health
Perspective: Recent Human Development Indices
in the North-East show a trend towards the
‘BIMARU’ states in health. Malaria,
diarrhoea, gastro-enterological diseases etc. are
on the rise. The AIDS and TB epidemics can not be
ruled out. The control and prevention of these
diseases require community involvement. Local
NGOs can act as interfaces between the people and
different organisations including government
during epidemics. They can also create social
awareness on the problems. These measures are to
be followed up with low-cost and effective
curative services.
- Irrigation
Facilities: Marginal and innovative
irrigation facilities, with area-specific
technologies is a necessity. A Punjab/Haryana
style irrigation system is not workable (and
perhaps is not necessary) in the plains. Since
moisture content is always high in most of the
region, marginal irrigation facilities for winter
months should be built up based on storage of
rain water, shallow wells, solar pumps and use of
local water bodies. If winter crop can be
guaranteed to the cultivator, there will be a
great change. NGOs may aim at this kind of
innovative work.
Funding agencies should
have a common programme for development of motivated,
capable and sensitive manpower in the NGO sector. Keeping
in mind, the development needs of the North-East,
Availability of some experts must be ensured either
through placement or through training of motivated
students elsewhere. They may be asked to join the
voluntary sector, in due course, to fill up the gaps in
the existing manpower situation.
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