While the Central Govenment has declared 1999 as the year of the gram sabhas, non-governmental organisations(NGOs) have started a programme to bring decentralisation of powers to the villagers. A start to the campaign was made in Karnataka in March, with three networks of NGOs - the Federation of Voluntary Organisations for Rural Development in Karnataka, the Jan Vikas Andolan and the National Front for Tribal Self Rule - forming a joint platform called Gram Ganaraj Vedike(GGV).