State Level Workshop on Capacity Building for NGOs held at MGSIPA

Role of NGOs is paramout importance and needs all help : Kaushal

State Level Workshop on Capacity Building for NGOs held at MGSIPA

360 delegates attend Workshop

Chandigarh, January 22, 2016 : While there is a need to promote the culture of non-government organizations (NGOs) in the state, at the same time the bureaucratic hindrances would not be allowed to get in the way the growth of this major societal cause, said Punjab Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal  in his inaugural address at the “State Level Workshop on Capacity Building for NGOs” organized at Mahatama Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration at Chandigarh.

In his address at the Workshop organized by the Planning Department on “Capacity Building of NGOs’, Kaushal said,  the first step is that both government and NGOs should shake hands for effective participation to help the needy class.

Kaushal showed his displeasures that the Punjab a developing state could not develop a culture where the NGOs could be involved in better implementation of the policies and schemes of the government.

Kaushal admitted about the lengthy official procedures which needs to be simplified from the root level besides withdrawing the minimum 3 years condition of eligibility for financial grant from the government.

He said, there are some persons who misuse the government funds and in such case the NGOs can also work as watchdog instead of seeing all with suspicious eye.

Kaushal said, the government is planning to double the budget the NGOs every year. NGOs would be deputed to attend national level conferences and seminars to share best practices and perceptions of their counter part organisations in other states for their applicability for the beneficiaries of Punjab.

Kaushal directed the Planning Department to create a website by March this year containing records of all NGOs elaborating their aims, objectives and activities carried out at the grass roots levels.

Political scientist and chairman, Governance Reform Commission, Dr Parmod said there is need of alliance between the government and NGOs so that joint responsibility and accountability could be calculated.  Cooperation and coordination is needed for the implementation of policies of the government for deriving maximum benefits from the NGOs.

In his welcome address, Secretary, Planning, Jaspal Singh said that Punjab government has given a new push to the concept of NGOs by taking multifarious steps. He said that more coordinated endeavor would be made to strengthen the working coalition between the NGOs and government.