Some Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) working in Jharkhand have objected to the 14th Finance Commission’s ignorance towards them. The visiting commission had not held a face to face interaction with them in the lines of done with political parties, PRIs, UlBs and even trade bodies. The team led by Chairman YV Reddy was on a three day visit to the state from January 8 to 10 for reviewing the demands and grievances of stakeholders in the state.
According to Ganesh Reddy, Secretary of Citizens Foundation, during its stay here the commission had conducted meeting with the state government, and visited project sites but they have totally neglected NGOs, who are also one of the main tools for implementation of various government schemes in the state.
He said that the NGOs are losing their credibility just because of the gaps in the government schemes that could have worked out if their problems like hurdle in human resources and wages would have been discussed with the finance commission’s visit to the state. “Today NGOs are facing innumerable challenges to sustain itself, and implement social sector schemes with such a low budgetary provisions that are sole reason for losing credibility,” he said.
lEADS NGO Director Awadh Kumar Singh who is supporting the state government in various counseling and surveys said, “It is only the NGOs which are working at the grassroot level development projects within the state. As a result, for the state government our suggestions matter when it is about analysis on a government scheme. So, obviously they cannot alone suggest the Finance Commission on requirements of funds and other necessities. The Planning Commission always makes sure to have a meeting with us.”
“We are working on the frontline in many of the development cum awareness programmes of the government in far off interior areas of the state. Finance Commission’s ignorance has anguished us,” Vikas Bharti NGO’s Public Relations Officer Sujit maintained. Meanwhile, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Jharkhand Chief Job Zachariah said that the responsibility of NGOs is to convey a message to the central government committees through the state government authorities. He said, “The influence of state government is better in conveying the problems of the state. NGOs cannot directly talk to such Commission people.”