Vigilance necessary
The Himalayan Times
8
July 2014
Vigilance necessary
The government should have formed long ago a
high level committee to study the status of I/NGO funded activities and brought
them under its purview in one way or the other. The absence of regular and affective
control mechanism in the government system has made difficult to assess the
real situation of I/NGO funded development programs. The existing Social
Welfare Centre (SWC) does not seem to have developed such mechanism making
itself merely a non functioning organization. This situation has made I/NGOs
easier to channel their development funds in their own ways.
However, it was good to know that the
government has now realized about this burning issues and formed a high level
committee under the leadership of National Vigilance Centre to investigate the
impacts and consequences of I/NGO activities in Nepal and identify the problems
with SWC as well in “Strong regulation of INGO/s sought” (THT, 6 July, Page 1).
The report has strongly further recommended
converting SWC into a separate department under the Ministry of Women, Children
and Social Welfare allowing it to tighten the screws on I/NGOs activities
keeping in view empowering and strengthening the SCW in its existing roles.
Unless the government is clear about the roles of these I/NGOs in the national
development agenda, the haphazard implementation of development programs and
misutilization of funds will continue to take place hampering the achievement
of government’s development goals and objectives. The findings and
recommendation of this high level committee should be strictly implemented.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
