N Go-Led Service Delivery and Its Constraints- a Case Study of North East Area Development Society

Abstract

The Non-governmental Organization (NGO) led ser\'ice delivery model is considered to be cost effective, participatory, and accountable, thus sen>ices reach the intended beneficiaries. Increasingly literature has come to prove otherwise that the NGO-led ser\ ice delivery is contradictory, instead NGOs implement donor agendas because o f the high dependence on donor funds. This study e.xamines NGO-led serx’ice delivery model amidst growing evidence and knowledge that this model may not adequately contribute to poverty reduction. The need fo r the donor agencies to channel resources through NGOs does not only e.xpose NGOs to donor dependence but puls the NGOs in a position o f implementing donor agendas as evidenced in the study as NGOs struggle to be effective and accountable to the donor community. NGOs seem to be on crossroads to follow the social mission o f delivering sen'ices or to engage in advocacy activities. By the mere fact that NGO funding, governance and relationship with government depends on the legal and administrative framework, increasingly NGOs have been constrained to deliver sen ’ices contrary' to the donor presumption. Whereas NGOs have caused some impact on poverty reduction o f individual farm ers in Assam, they cannot be relied on because they only focus on a small percentage o f the poor, even in places with the highest number o f NGOs high levels of poverty is still evident. Further, this paper highlights what the NGOs and beneficiaries do to counteract the constraints identified.