In our Political Science class we were taught that Society is bigger and vaster than the State. If the State controls all the activities of the individual in a society than that society becomes a totalitarian society. That is exactly what happened in the old Soviet Union and that is what is happening in the Communist China.
Now coming to the efforts of the Planning Commission to evolve an independent, national level self-regulatory agency for the voluntary sector, both the civil society and the government have to be careful. While there is a need to regulate the these agencies it should not stifle the voluntary sector. The need for regulating voluntary sector is clear from various news reports about the misuse of funds, especially when it comes from abroad. There are cases of one-man agencies and people who are connected with the government officials/politicians forming such agencies. Some of the foreign funded agencies have indulged in activities which do not further Indian interests. Some have used the funds for conversion and other activities even to oppose government policies.
Every agency has to register and have audited accounts to be submitted to the government as well as to the public including their members and supporters. There has to be some structure and periodical election. There are cases where the same man/woman have been at the top for years together.
It is said that there are about three million NGOs in India ! This an astounding figure.Some proper regulation of so many NGOs is a must. There are also reports that some of them who receive foreign money have not submitted their annual report to the government.
Voluntary association is a much valued institution in any country. Alexis de Tocqueville, the famous French writer and thinker, mentions it as a most the important institution for a society in his book, Democracy in America( 1830) and he calls it " social capital".He said that Americans were ' joiners'. They joined all manners of local organizations, unlike Europeans.This was the strength of American democracy.We have to strengthen these efforts. Voluntary efforts should remain voluntary with of course some minimum control of the state.
I find it strange that not many NGOs are there to see and moniter the government welfare activities and expenditure which runs into thousands of crore rupees which are misappropriated by officials and politicians. Today's papers report that the Supreme Court has asked the CBI to look into the " serious irregularities" of some Rs.40,000 crore of rupees in NREGA ( National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) in Orissa.
December 17,2010.
(The above comments in response to the query by Karmayog as follows:
Now coming to the efforts of the Planning Commission to evolve an independent, national level self-regulatory agency for the voluntary sector, both the civil society and the government have to be careful. While there is a need to regulate the these agencies it should not stifle the voluntary sector. The need for regulating voluntary sector is clear from various news reports about the misuse of funds, especially when it comes from abroad. There are cases of one-man agencies and people who are connected with the government officials/politicians forming such agencies. Some of the foreign funded agencies have indulged in activities which do not further Indian interests. Some have used the funds for conversion and other activities even to oppose government policies.
Every agency has to register and have audited accounts to be submitted to the government as well as to the public including their members and supporters. There has to be some structure and periodical election. There are cases where the same man/woman have been at the top for years together.
It is said that there are about three million NGOs in India ! This an astounding figure.Some proper regulation of so many NGOs is a must. There are also reports that some of them who receive foreign money have not submitted their annual report to the government.
I find it strange that not many NGOs are there to see and moniter the government welfare activities and expenditure which runs into thousands of crore rupees which are misappropriated by officials and politicians. Today's papers report that the Supreme Court has asked the CBI to look into the " serious irregularities" of some Rs.40,000 crore of rupees in NREGA ( National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) in Orissa.
December 17,2010.
(The above comments in response to the query by Karmayog as follows:
How to strengthen civil society - suggestions needed
Posted by: "karmayog.org" info@karmayog.org
Wed Dec 8, 2010 3:09 am (PST)
In May 2009, the Planning Commission, Govt. of India, set up "a Task Force
to examine the issues related to the evolution of an independent, national
level, self-regulatory agency for the voluntary sector and to develop
accreditation methodologies for voluntary organisations".
The 132 page Report of the Task Force is available at
http://www.karmayog.org/redirect/strred.asp?docId=31670
Pushpendra Kumar from the National Institute of Rural Development
(NIRD), who has also contributed suggestions to the Task Force says about
the Task Force and this report that:
"I find the entire exercise directed to corporatising the voluntary sector.
This is against the spirit of the National Policy for the Voluntray Sector
and will have disastrous impact on the sector.
The composition of the participants of the Task Force also bears the
testimony to my point. The voluntary sector needs a different kind of
professionalism, one that is largely different from the professionalism
required in the corporate sector (or corporate NGOs).
The significance of the voluntary sector lies in its creativity, diversity,
strong links with the community, its localised nature, voluntary spirit, its
capacity and courage to question, to challenge the dominant paradigms of
development.
I also find this an effort to further encroach upon the autonomy of the
voluntary sector. The proposed composition of the National Accreditation
Council includes representatives of government bodies, corporate bodies
(CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, ICAI, other chambers of commerce and industry) and
grant making government and international organisations.One would expect
that this would be a body comprising either exclusively or predominantly
representatives from the voluntary sector.
There is a need to recognise the diversity and wisdom of the voluntary
sector. The sector itself can find ways of enhancing accountability and
transparency in its practices. No one size can fit all and no
superimposition of norms (read corporate norms) is going to help. Let the
debate on such important issues as accountability and transparency be taken
to the vast expanse of the civil society."
The Planning Commission and CAPART invites comments and suggestions from
voluntary organisations, social activists, donor agencies and citizens.
Send your responses to: Mrs. Rupa Dutta, Director, Voluntary Action Cell,
Planning Commission, Yojana Bhawan, New Delhi 110003
Tel: 23353437, Fax No. 23096764 and Email: rupa-pc@nic.in
You may also send your responses to CAPART at dg@caparthq.delhi.nic.in and
helpdesk@caparthq.delhi.nic.in and a cc to info@karmayog.org for follow-up.
