NGOs are voluntary social work organisation who renders help to government and society for improvement of quality of life people and also animals. From education to health to environment and to poverty alleviation, the scope of NGOs operational areas touches every part of life.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

• Focused on achieving self-sufficiency and self-help rather than create an environment of welfare dependence.
  
  
• Non-discriminatory and must serve the beneficiaries without regard to caste, sect, region, or religion.
  
  
• Registered charitable organization eligible for tax exemption under sections 80(G) and 12 A (a) of Income Tax Act of 1961 and provide IDRF with proof of such registration (its Section 80G ID).
  
  
• Financially responsible and transparent. NGOs must provide audited financial reports to IDRF when requested.
  
  
• Volunteer-based with minimal overhead.
  
  
• Exhibits proven track record of envisioning and executing projects on time and within budget.
  
  
• ORISSA ranks poorly in all socio-economic indicators - primary education, health care, agriculture, industrial growth and infrastructure development. As much as 47 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, while the sale of children and hunger deaths continue unabated according to media reports. The State also has high infant and maternal mortality rates, and the awareness level remains low. But a sense of distrust and suspicion is fast growing between the two major partners in progress - those in power and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The NGOs are up in arms against the Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJD-BJP) alliance government's initiative to formulate a new law to make them accountable. And the relationship between the politicians and NGOs is turning sour by the day. Until recently, those in the government and those running NGOs were patting each other's back and emphasising the need for strengthening the government-voluntary sector alliance.

VOLUNTARY organisations play an important role in furthering socio-economic development and addressing problems that are not solved effectively by the government. But since the concept and approaches of voluntary efforts have undergone change, community-based organisations at large are now facing criticism. There have been demands from various quarters that NGOs should be made more transparent and accountable, particularly in respect of the funds they receive from various sources.