Grassroots Development Initiatives in India

The present book focuses on the grassroots development initiatives and role of conscientisation in the empowerment of Adivasis and other marginalised sections of society through the rights-based approach to development. The author examines how voluntary organisations engaged with development programmes for the empowerment of Adivasis work with the approach of conscientisation. The role of voluntary organisations in conscientisation for organising and mobilising the Adivasis with a programme for the people-centred advocacy has been instrumental in making the government machinery pro-poor by implementing development programmes with greater transparency and accountability. Conscientisation of Adivasis by the voluntary organisations through their educative role has resulted in the betterment of their lives and the emergence of autonomous leadership. The study concludes that the ideological base of the founders of the organisations made the Adivasis independent and self-supportive for their development from their earlier status of servitude through initiating and accomplishing the task of conscientisation.