SIXTY PERCENT INCREASE IN FUNDS TO NGOs FOR REHIBILITATION
OF STREET CHILDREN
There has been about
sixty percent increase in allocation of funds by the Ministry
of Social Justice and Empowerment to NGOs under the scheme called
"An Integrated Programme for street children" during the last
three years. The allocation increased from Rs. 7.26 crore in 2000-01
to Rs. 11 crore in 2002-03. During 20001-02, the allocation was
Rs.8.05 crore. The purpose of the scheme is to prevent destitution
among children and to facilitate their withdrawal from a life
on streets as well as placement into national mainstream. Under
the scheme financial assistance to the extent of 90% of approved
budget is given to NGO for providing shelter, nutrition, health
care, education, vocational training and recreation facilities
to these children. The funds released by the Ministry are utilized
by the grantee NGOs as per the norms of the Scheme. Unspent balance,
if any, is adjusted with the grant for the subsequent year.
The Ministry also
operates another Scheme known as "General Grant-in-aid Programmes
for Assistance in the field of Social Defence". Under it funds
are provided to voluntary organisations for education and training
of destitute children. Over Rs. 3.72 crore were released to various
voluntary organisations during the last three years.
The performance of
the grantee NGOs has by and large been satisfactory. However,
some instances have come to the notice of the Ministry where as
a result of inspection/ evaluation, it was found that the performance
of a grantee NGO in running the sanctioned project was not as
per the stipulated norms and standards. As such, five NGOs under
"An Integrated Programme for street children" Scheme were blacklisted
since 2000-01. They include three from Andhra Pradesh and one
each from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Similarly four NGOs, three
from Uttar Pradesh and one from Andhra Pradesh were blacklisted
under "General Grant-in-aid programme for Assistance in the field
of Social Defence".
