ABSTRACT
The adoption of an empowerment strategy logically led to support for more networking and policy advocacy since collective action was necessary to secure entitlements. Civil society building strategies were adopted for three reasons: to promote market-led development, to promote democracy, and to enhance impact. Donors responded by supporting training programmes and bringing in methodologies and approaches such as the participatory rural appraisal, and participatory development, then being successfully implemented outside India. The successful models were disseminated with donor support and often adopted in mainstream government development programmes. After the 1960s, official donors as well as the Indian government started to include non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as partners in government implemented projects and programmes, especially in the social sector, due to their reported ability to reach the poorest better. Swedish International Development Agency and other bilateral donors supported innovative educational programmes such as Lok Jumbish and Siksha Karmi in Rajasthan, beginning the trend for creating institutional partnership arrangements between government and NGOs.
