Charitable Trust in India
The term charity can be explained as a voluntary philanthropic contribution towards the marginalized section of the society. Charity can be at various levels and is voluntary in nature. It has got a unique significance in all religions. Modern religions have worked on institutionalizing the charity and charitable activities. The voluntary act of giving is still considered to be a method of paying back to society in almost all the religions.
To institutionalize the charitable activities and voluntary donations in India, various states in the country passed their respective trust acts. They work towards social welfare and environmental conservation. These charity organizations operate professionally focusing on specific objectives and thereby helping the marginalized people to uplift themselves. Therefore, it can be said that all the charitable organizations work for social welfare with the help of donations that are channelized and utilized for serving the basic needs of poor.
There are various sources through which a charitable trust channelizes the funds. It can be through direct voluntary asking, entertainment events, awareness shows, auctions, online crowdfunding, corporate and government funding. The organizations are also responsible for the proper utilization of donations.
As there are several charitable organisations in India, more often they are under the scanner of the government agencies for misappropriation of funds. Although, the taxation laws in India provides certain tax exemption to donors both at individual and institutional level, yet it has been observed that many projects fail or gets delayed due to lack of funds. Due their focus at the grassroots, the charitable trust often have a strong network among the local people, authorities, agencies. Despite all odds, few charitable organisations in the country have done a remarkable job by touching and improving the standard of living of millions.
