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There is an urgent need to put an end to distortions in social development and evolving institutionalised mechanisms of collaboration between the government and the NGOs and the people’s institutions.
CJ: SADAKET MALIK , 14 Oct 2008 Views:482 Comments:
VOLUNTARY SOCIAL work, voluntarism, voluntary organisations, non governmental organisations (NGOs) not profit making organizations, religion based social development organisations, individual donors, philanthropy and corporate social development organisations have grown tremendously in the 21st century.

Similarly international developmental organisation like the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations International Kids Education Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA), Department Fund for International Development (DFID), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), United Nations Economic, Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) and many other organisations are relentlessly campaigning for the trigger of the social development.

Under United Nations systems many international conventions are being held, many laws are being promoted, numerous policies are being evolved and several projects are being implemented in numerous areas like the human rights, education, health, natural resources, development and environment.

The government of India and many governments of different nations of the world like South Africa, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Uganda, Zambia and Mexico have enacted many laws, established various government departments, evolved policies, and developed schemes for the trigger of social development.

Though social development has emerged as a very important sector in 21st century there are no institutionalised mechanisms of collaboration of the government and the NGOs. The require of the hour is to evolve lengthy term, sustainable and institutionalised collaboration between the government and NGOs.

The government of India has prepared and released a draft national policy on NGOs, incorporating the areas of collaboration of the government and NGOs. The Planning Commission of India and different ministries of the government of India are working on the modalities of collaboration between the government and the NGOs.

Similarly the government of Andhra Pradesh on an inn
ovative approach given by us has formed a state level coordination committee of government officials and NGOs headed by the chief minister for promoting the coordination between the government and the NGOs. On the same lines district level coordination cells have been formed headed by the district in-charge ministers with collectors, officials and NGOs as members. Government orders are issued for frequent meeting of the committees and evolving the mechanisms of collaboration between the government and the NGOs. (GOMS No 28 of government of AP enclosed)

There is imminent want for the government of India and a variety of state governments to release the national policy as well as the state policies for institutionalised mechanisms of collaboration between the government and the NGOs, on the lines of the National Policy of the government of India.

The government of India is promoting the work, projects and involvement of NGOs in a large way. The Union Ministry of Rural Development has established Council for Advancement of Peoples Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) and is promoting the NGO sector in a massive way.

Rural Development Department in numerous schemes like the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), Development of Ladies and Kids in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Swarna Jayanti Swarajgor Yojana (SJSGY) National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Watershed Development and in quite a few other schemes has elaborately issued guidelines, with specific reference to involvement of the NGOs in implementation of numerous schemes.

Rural development department via National Waste Lands Development Board have issued guidelines, focusing on the importance of participation of the individuals and involvement of NGOs in implementation of the schemes.

Similarly, many Ministries like Ministry of Human Resources Development, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Agriculture among others have issued guidelines for implementation of the schemes, with focus on peoples participation and participation of NGOs in implementation of thousands of schemes of the government of India.

On the same lines, various state governments have issued government orders and guidelines for people’s participation and participation of NGOs in implementation of various schemes.

The government of India via a variety of ministries has been funding the NGOs to a tune of Rs. 10,000 corers per annum for implementation of different schemes. CAPART and numerous ministries have evolved schemes to be funded to the NGOs for implementation in a variety of areas concerning human and social development of folks. Similarly numerous schemes are also being funded in natural resources development and environment.

Numerous ministries of the government of India have evolved formats, prescribed procedures, and evolved inspection and monitoring mechanisms for effective implementation of the schemes being funded in the NGOs sector. All the details of grants in aid being sanctioned to the project of the NGOs are being made available on the web sites of the respective ministries of the government of India.

Similarly World Bank, DFID and numerous funding agencies have also evolved mechanisms, procedures for inspection, assessment, sanction, monitoring and evaluation of grant in aid projects to the NGOs.

In addition to the above, International Development Agencies like Action Aid, Plan International, Oxfam, CCF, Leonard Chesire, CARE and a number of other international donor agencies have also evolved mechanisms and guidelines for assessment, sanction, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects which need grants in aid. They have also prescribed formats for donor service reporting and displaying on sites.

Whilst the international scenario, and national scenarios are really encouraging all is not well in collaboration of the government and the NGOs in social development.

Some of the distortions and recent trends in a few states of India are to implement the projects of social development with-out any collaboration between the government and the NGOs. People’s participation and participatory development is a distant dream which is yet to be realized.

There is an urgent will need to put an end to distortions in social development and evolving the institutionalised mechanisms of collaboration between the government and the NGOs and the people’s institutions. There is the malaise among some organisations to be excessively dependent on foreign aid. This can be somewhat offset if our organization houses start contributing far more to the voluntary sector than they do now. Some voluntary organisations also tend to be individual-centric with small internal democracy and sometimes transparency. Such organisations locate it challenging to outlast their founder. There is also a will need for greater cooperation among NGOs themselves. Together, they can attain significantly far more than if they select to operate in their own small autonomous region.

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