Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) as indicated in its name is a Delhi-based national-level association of VOs/NGOs established in 1958 by a group of freedom fighters who opted out of electoral politics and resolved to serve the nation through social action.
These leaders included Kamladevi Chattopadhyay, Loknayak Bharat Ratna Jaya Prakash Narayan (JP), Dharmpal, L C Jain, Anna Saheb Sahasrabudhe, K S Radhakrishna as well as a good number of academicians.
After five years of independence, the government of India started community development programme in the year 1952 to address the issues associated with rural development. This included almost every sector of rural life right from education to irrigation, agriculture, animal husbandry, etc. Each of these departments were headed by a competent official who were expected to accelerate the pace of comprehensive growth in rural areas.
Keeping this development in view, the voluntary organizations working at the grassroots at the time wondered, if government would do everything then what kind of role was left out for them. In the year 1956 a seminar was organized by a group of voluntary agencies to discuss “Role of Voluntary Organizations in the Field of Rural Development”. The initiative for this seminar was taken by Indian Cooperative Union which had earlier taken up a number of rural development programmes for rehabilitation of refugees from West Pakistan through cooperative organizations.
Other participating organizations included Allahabad Agricultural Institute, All India Khadi and Village Industries Board, All India Women’s Conference, Bharat Sewak Samaj, Delhi School of Social Work, Rural Welfare Board, Dorabji Tata Trust, Indian Adult Education Association, Indian Cooperative Union, Indian Village Service, Ingraham Institute, Jamia Milia Islamia, Literacy House, National Christian Council of India, Poona Cooperative College, School of Social Work ( M S University, Baroda), Tata Institute of Social Sciences and YMCA rural Demonstration Centre,etc.
After three days of deliberation the seminar came to the conclusion that even though Government might take rural development programmes, development itself would remain a distant dream without people’s participation and adequate popular participation could be ensured through voluntary organizations which had a positive role to play in rural development as innovators and agencies reflecting people’s aspirations.
However, the need of a Central agency was felt to provide need-based support services and technical guidance to smaller member organizations who because of their financial constraints were unable to engage technical manpower. And thus, the idea of establishment of AVARD emerged and finally on 16 December 1958 Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) was formally registered under The Societies Registration Act 1860 as a National Federation of Voluntary Organizations.
Motto-Friendship, co-operation and interaction
Vision-Help people to help themselves to create an autonomous society with minimum dependence on government for its vital needs.
Main objectives
- To create a national platform for organizations working at grassroots level to come together, exchange ideas and experiences as well as share problems.
- Advocacy on behalf of VOs / NGOs at different levels – particularly with government on policy matters.
- Capacity building of Member organizations and foster new ones where needed.
- Assist organizations in project formulation, micro-level planning for socio-economic development and advisory services in resource mobilization.
- Connect with like-minded organizations to cross-fertilize knowledge for mutual benefit.
Main focus of activities
- J P was a staunch supporter of Panchayati raj and during his tenure he tried to popularize “ Panchayati raj as the Basis of Indian Polity “. Capacity building of Panchayats has been one of the main activities which gained momentum after the implementation of 73rd amendment Act 1992 and covered the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, U P, M P, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan and West Bengal supported by Miserior / EED Germany.
- Capacity building of NGOs with core support of DANIDA
- Micro-level planning for socio-economic development for both government ( Block level plans for the state Govts. of UP, Bihar, Odisha and Karnataka ) and NGOs ( Gram Panchayat/Cluster level plans for Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, MP, UP and AP ) mainly with the support of EZE / EED and Miserior (Germany).
- Food self-reliance through Panchayats ( Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Odisha ) supported by the Ford Foundation.
- Women’s empowerment through Panchayats ( West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar ) supported by Oxfam America.
- Whole village development program in Mushahari Block, Muzaffarpur, Bihar supported by EZE.
- Organization of seminars / workshops on concurrent issues.
- Planning and execution of many irrigation plans in Bihar, Jharkhand and Manipur
- Organization of training courses / workshops on micro-level planning, project formulation, panchayati raj, women’s empowerment and other relevant issues.
- Conducting studies / action research
- Relief and rehabilitation work during and after natural calamities with the support of donor agencies.
- Served as secretariat of World Bank NGO Consultation Committee and Commonwealth Foundation – North Zone.
Main Strength
- Nation-wide outreach through Member Organizations
- Strong historical background and rich legacy of voluntary action
- Wide ranging experience and expertise
- Well established democratic structure and democratically elected office bearers / Executive Committee
- Good working space and office at prime location in New Delhi
- Willingness to work in association with like-minded organizations.
Way forward
- Need of rejuvenation of the organization by remodeling the office space, outlook and man power planning
- Development of meaningful programs to enhance presence and outreach
- Need of core support to energize and enhance the efficiency as well as corpus fund to ensure sustainability
Challenges
The organization worked smoothly till 1975, the year when emergency was promulgated by the then Mrs Indira Gandhi led government of India. Since Loknayak Jaya Prakash Narayan, President of AVARD, was leading the movement against emergency, he was arrested and put behind the bars. So many hurdles were created by the govt including freezing of bank accounts, etc.
Again when Mrs Gandhi came back to power in 1980, she instituted Kudal Commission to penalize AVARD and other organizations associated with JP and those who participated in the movement against emergency. All the charges of corruption and misappropriation of funds were fabricated with bad intension to punish and finish the organization. However, despite all its evil efforts the government could not frame even a single charge and the organization came out clean but by the time the organization suffered a lot. Only skeleton staff was left. Gradually it started to reorganize but it could not attain the past status.
Another shock , as for other organizations, was the Corona period. The organization is still facing resource crunch and making efforts for rejuvenation.
Concluding remarks
A good and noble organization facing challenging situation like many other organizations after Covid-19. However, there is good potential and the newly constituted team of office bearers is trying to regain its past glory by initiating appropriate steps to strengthen the organization for the good of people at large. We look forward to gaining support and cooperation from all corners, particularly the donor agencies and CSR
Personalities associated with AVARD Ms Kamla Devi Chattopadhyay, a well known many sided personality and close friend of Pt Nehru, was the founder President and Shri Dharampal, well known for his documentation of pre British India, and later Chairman of Cow Commission, was the founder General Secretary. Loknayak Bharat Ratna Shri Jaya Prakash Narayan( J P) took over as President in 1960 and continued its President till he breathed his last ( 1979 ). Among other personalities associated with it included Shri L C Jain who later became Member of Planning Commission and High Commissioner to South Africa
