GO NGO GO

                                                

Sometimes back, the policy makers had decided that the govt alone could not carry out all social and other developmental work.  So to give impetus to the causes of progress of the country, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the public at large had to be involved. This is the basic idea behind the formation of NGOs. However, the speed at which these bodies sprang up, has surprised the policy makers themselves. They have grown like mushroom and their uncontrolled system of working, instead of benefits, has started corroding the root of our polity.

Only a couple of days back, the Asstt. Solicitor General informed the Supreme  court that at present there are over 22 lakh NGOs in the country and out of them slightly more than 2% file  annual returns of their income and expenditure. What a horrible situation! Majority of them are subsisting on govt money. Many of them get foreign money for missionary works. Though they are shown to be engaged in public service, but virtually there is no supervision/monitoring. As a result, they are often found indulging in objectionable activities. The previous regimes soft-pedalled the issue and so religious conversions under duress or allurements went unabated particularly in Northeast and Chotanagpur plateau states. In order to get the foreign money, the beneficiary NGO has to get FRCA permission which is an easy job. The application for such a permission is submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs and after some surfacial enquiry, it is granted. After that in absence of any effective monitoring, it becomes an open field for any activity.

It has been found that several senior govt executives, just before their retirement, launch a NGO in the name of their close relations and pave the way for easy flow of govt fund thereafter. You name any important activist in delhi, he must be having a pocket NGO. Some times it is more dangerous when they work as a conduit for illegal funding of militants. Often at the hands of inimical elements, they offer themselves as a platform for ant-national activities.

The ASG has rightly expressed his view to advise the govt to immediately stop funding of faltering NGOs. Some more such stringent deterrences can pull its chestnuts out of the fire.