Peoples Participatory Development- A Distanct Dream

Jammu J&K India - Sadaket malik - Sunday, October 12th, 2008 : goo

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People’s Participatory development -A distant dream

Sadaket Malik**

No doubt greater involvement of voluntary organizations will help the government in providing more efficient delivery of services at substantially lower costs. At the sometime, it brings yet another major benefit to the country as a whole. Similarly International Developmental Organization viz World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Trade Organization (WTO), Food and Agriculture Organization (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 organizations are relentlessly campaigning for the cause of the social development.Under United Nations Systems several International conventions are being held, several laws are being promoted, several policies are being evolved and several projects are being implemented in various areas viz Human Rights, Education, Health, Natural Resources Development and Environment.

Govt. of India and many Govts. of various Nations of the World viz South Africa, China, Pakisthan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Uganda, Zambia and Mexico have enacted several laws, established various Govt Departments, evolved policies, and created schemes for the cause of the social development.

Though social development has emerged as a very important sector in 21st century there are no Institutionalized mechanisms of collaboration of the Govt. & NGOs. The need of the hour is to evolve long term, sustainable and institutionalized collaboration between the Govt. & NGOs.Govt. of India has prepared and released a draft National Policy on NGOs, in-corporating the areas of collaboration of the Govt. & NGOs. The Planning Commission of India, and various Ministries of the Govt. of India are working on the modalities of collaboration between Govt. and the NGOs.

Similarly, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh on an innovative approach given by us has formed a State level coordination Committee of the Govt. officials and NGOs headed by the Chief Minister for promoting the coordination between the Govt. & the NGOs. On the same lines district level coordination cells have been formed headed by the district incharge Ministers with Collectors, Officials and NGOs as members. Govt. Orders are issued for frequent meeting of the Committees and evolving the mechanisms of collaboration between the Govt. & the NGOs. (GOMS No 28 of Govt of AP enclosed)

There is imminent need for Govt. of India and various State Govts. to release the National Policy as well as the State Policies for Institutionalized mechanisms of collaboration between the Govt. & the NGOs. On the lines of National Policy of GOI.Govt. of India is promoting the work, projects and involvement of NGOs in a big way. Govt. of India under Ministry of Rural Development has established Council for Advancement of Peoples Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) and promoting the NGO sector in a big way.Rural Development Department in many schemes viz Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Swarna Jayanti Swarajgor Yojana (SJSGY) National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Watershed Development and in many other schemes has elaborately issued guidelines, with specific reference to involvement of the NGOs in implementation of various schemes.Rural development department through National Waste Lands Development Board have issued guidelines, focusing the importance of participation of the people and involvement of NGOs in implementation of the schemes.

Of late, several Ministries viz Ministry of Human Resources Development, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Women & Child Welfare, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Agriculture etc., 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 Govt. of India.On the same lines, various State Govts. have issued Govt. orders and guidelines for peoples participation and participation of NGOs in implementation of various schemes.

Govt. of India through various Ministries has been funding the NGOs to a tune of Rs. 10,000 corers per annum for implementation of various schemes. CAPART and various Ministries have evolved schemes to be funded to the NGOs for implementation in various areas concerning Human & Social Development of people. Similarly several schemes are also being funded in Natural resources development & Environment. Ministries of Govt. 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 websites of the respective Ministries of the Govt. of India.

Interestingly, World Bank, DFID and various funding Agencies have also evolved mechanisms, procedures for inspection, assessment, sanction, monitoring & evaluation of grant in aid Projects to the NGOs.

In addition to the above, International Development Agencies Viz, Action Aid, Plan International, Oxfam, CCF, Leonard Chesire, CARE and several other International Donor agencies have also evolved mechanisms and guidelines for assessment, sanction, implementation, monitoring & evaluation of projects which are requiring grants in Aid. They have also prescribed formats for donor service reporting and displaying on websites.

While the International scenario, and National scenarios are very encouraging all is not well in collaboration of the Govt. & 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 Govt. & the NGOs. People’s participation and participatory development is a distant dream to be realized.

There is an urgent need to put an end to distortions in social development and evolving the institutionalized mechanisms of collaboration between the Govt. the NGOs and the peoples Institutions. There is the malaise amongst some organizations to be excessively dependent on foreign aid. This can be somewhat offset if our business houses start contributing more to the voluntary sector than they do now. Some voluntary organizations also tend to be individual-centric with little internal democracy and sometimes transparency. Such organizations find it difficult to outlast their founder. There is also a need for greater cooperation among NGOs themselves. Together, they can achieve much more than if they choose to operate in their own small autonomous areas.

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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 Govt. & the NGOs. People’s participation and participatory development

is a distant dream to be realized.

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Each of the State of India and UTs have to evolve their State Policies, which are in tune with Govt. of India and with necessary innovations for implementation.District level Coordination Cells must document the NGO activities analyze and evolve guidelines for coordination.

It is advisable to prepare village agenda, block agenda, district agenda, State agenda, and National agenda for the development.

Integrated village development plans through micro planning are required to be prepared in a participatory manner of the people, NGOs and the Govt.Knowledge based efforts through village knowledge centers must be put in for faster pace and sustainable development. Ultimately model villages can be created through joint action and campaigning for development of the people, Govt. Officials and the NGOs through multicultural coordination and convergence approaches for the development.

The Author is freelance columnist based in Jammu and Kashmir India and can be mailed at sadaketmalik@rediffmail.com

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