Fate of NGOs hangs in balance
Deputy Director of Social Welfare takes bribe for project recommendations, NGOs alleged
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 23 2012:
WITH THE Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment sidelining discussion on financial sanctions for NGOs in the state in connection with implementation of various Centrally-sponsored schemes as the State Social Welfare Department has consistently failed to furnish project proposals as well as progress reports in time to the Ministry, the fate of many NGOs in the state now hangs in balance.
According to some NGOs, as many as 14 different NGOs of the state have submitted proposals for various projects under the Prevention of Alcoholism and Substances (Drug) Abuse Scheme to the state Social Welfare Department for its recommendation.
Besides these, proposals for other projects for Old Aged Homes have also been submitted for necessary recommendations.
Under these schemes, different NGOs in the state have been extending valuable services to the needy ones and encouraging self employment opportunities to many unemployed persons.
On August 17 last, the Department convened a meeting of the State Grant-in-Aid Committee to discuss project proposals with Social Welfare Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip in the chair.
Health Commissioner Moses Chalai; Special Secretary of Social Welfare AK Singh and Secretary of Centre for Mental Hygiene, Sangaiprou who are other members of the Committee and Director of Social Welfare G Seityabati who is the Member Secretary of the Committee were among others present in the said meeting.
After a serious deliberation, the Committee meeting approved 14 new proposals for recommendation to the Ministry.
Accordingly, the State Social Welfare Department issued an office order on August 28 last and sent a representative of the department to New Delhi on August 30.However, Joint Secretary of the Ministry told the representative of the department that discussion on financial sanction had been over and the Ministry did not receive any project proposals in time.
Expressing strong resentment over the negligence of the officials of the department, the NGOs alleged that a Deputy Director of the Department even took bribes from some NGOs for recommending new proposals.