The Hindu : National policy to strengthen voluntary sector soon

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Friday, Jun 20, 2003

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National policy to strengthen voluntary sector soon

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 19. The Centre will soon formulate a national policy to involve the voluntary sector in development efforts.

The first meeting of the reconstituted joint machinery for collaborative relationship between the Government and voluntary organisations on Wednesday decided that a draft policy would be prepared in 45 days, and circulated among its members for their comments. Within 15 days of receiving their comments a final policy would be ready, the Deputy Chairperson, Planning Commission, K.C. Pant, told reporters after the meeting.

The Tenth Plan has set 11 monitorable targets covering a wide spectrum of issues, most of which are also issues of concern to the voluntary sector. "If we make these issues nucleus of voluntary programmes, the targets will be easy to achieve,'' he said.

Stressing the need for an institutional framework for developing the voluntary sector so that they could act as State's partners in areas of socio-economic development, Mr. Pant said voluntary organisations should play the role of catalysts and keep a check on the use of public money.

The meeting also agreed that a second policy document on growth of professionalism and core competencies in the voluntary sector would also follow. Together, these two documents would clear the existing gaps in policy and facilitate coordinated development work in the State. "Strengthening of voluntary sector will ultimately lead to the strengthening of democracy where people have a greater role to play in nation-building,'' he said.

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