Make reforms in SWCN

The Himalayan Times

2 August 2018

Make reforms in SWCN

Since long, the government has been allowing local non-government organizations (NGOs) and international non-government organizations (INGOs) to work in various parts of the country with the intention of improving the living conditions of the local populations. These organizations were/are engaged in implementing different kinds of development programmes related to formal and non-formal education, community health, income generation and women empowerment.

 Around 48,000 NGOs are currently registered with the Social Welfare Council Nepal (SWCN); however, not all of them are active. The SWCN is the umbrella organization at the centre. One of its responsibilities is to monitor the activities of these organizations which have not been effective due to its limited human and financial resources. These shortcomings of SWCN have made most of the I/NGOs implement their activities in their own ways, hampering the achievement of intended objectives of the programme. The operational expenses of these organizations started growing higher and higher thus reducing the budget for the development programme. In fact, the ideal ratio of development and operational funds is 70:30; however, the SCWN has liberally directed them to spend 60% of the budget for the development programme.

Looking at these irresponsible activities of some of the I/NGOs, the government was recently thinking to tighten their belts by introducing a policy. At such time, 30 Chinese NGOs are set to penetrate the country’s social sectors at the grassroots level for the coming three years “30 Chinese BGOs all set to work in Nepal” (THT, July 31, Page 1). Time has come for the government to reform and reorient the existing SWCN.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj

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