Synopsis This study is an attempt to evaluate the voluntary efforts being done in rural India in organising the marginalized weaker sections of the society for their development and liberation. The main focus is on the ole of NGOs, also called 'Third Sector' (the other two sectors being government and business), which has been gaining increasing importance in the development of the underprivileged. International development agencies such as the World Bank, the IMF etc., have also realized the limitations of formal organisations such as government agencies and the role of private sector in the objective development of various sections of the society. As such, the book concerns with the aims, objectives, organizational structure and initiation of development programmes by the voluntary organizations and the role of voluntary workers in the process of development. It also examines the limitations of seeking funds and their utilization, the problems and prospects of involving the target groups and its implications in the development process. Further, it also highlights the importance of the voluntary organizations and their impact on the development of weaker sections of the society.