Politician run NGOs: money minting machines in J&K

Politician run NGOs: money minting machines in J&K

Yash Khajuria                                                                7/28/2011 9:19:51 PM

JAMMU, July 28: Despite having 3500 registered Non-Governmental Organizations in Jammu and Kashmir, majority of them have become money minting machines, rather than contributing anything for the upliftment of the needy. 

Added to this is the politician-NGO nexus, with many of the leaders operating NGOs in the name of their family members, thus drawing benefits of the government plus funds. 

While some NGOs are running by sincere individuals and have taken up several projects, and don’t seek any personal favour, but many of the organisations active in the state act as ‘milch cows’ for those controlling them. 

Many of the politicians, political leaders in the state have formed their NGO’s headed by their family members or relatives, and they use their contacts to ensure a huge flow of funding to the organizations. 

Ashwani Kumar, a senior citizen said that several senior officials and “think-tanks” had set up NGOs after retirements, which are only creative in the ways in which they accumulate funds in crores. Many times, the so-called independent NGO acts as a mouthpiece for political parties, expressing their point of views as public opinion. 

He added that all such organizations are there to improve their functioning and work in close coordination with the government for achieving common goals. There has been little ground work on various issues concerning women and children in the state while human rights issues usually get politicize. 

It is pertinent to mention that any political leader or government official is not authorized for running a NGO as the provision mentions. Despite of that no action has been taken yet by the concerned authority to control the increasing ratio of political indulgence in the Non Governmental Organisations. 

When contacted to Director Societies B.S. Dua has informed that a discussion with the Government regarding the matter is in progress as a result of which we could be able to make these Non Governmental Organizations free from political leaders and government officials. 

He said that there is no existing law or act to de-register any NGO if found violating the provision made for running NGO’s when asked about the actions against NGOs running illegally.

Politician run NGOs: money minting machines in J&K

Yash Khajuria (TNI)

JAMMU, July 28: Despite having 3500 registered Non-Governmental Organizations in Jammu and Kashmir, majority of them have become money minting machines, rather than contributing anything for the upliftment of the needy.

Added to this is the politician-NGO nexus, with many of the leaders operating NGOs in the name of their family members, thus drawing benefits of the government plus funds.

While some NGOs are running by sincere individuals and have taken up several projects, and don’t seek any personal favour, but many of the organisations active in the state act as ‘milch cows’ for those controlling them.

Many of the politicians, political leaders in the state have formed their NGO’s headed by their family members or relatives, and they use their contacts to ensure a huge flow of funding to the organizations.

Ashwani Kumar, a senior citizen said that several senior officials and “think-tanks” had set up NGOs after retirements, which are only creative in the ways in which they accumulate funds in crores. Many times, the so-called independent NGO acts as a mouthpiece for political parties, expressing their point of views as public opinion.

He added that all such organizations are there to improve their functioning and work in close coordination with the government for achieving common goals. There has been little ground work on various issues concerning women and children in the state while human rights issues usually get politicize.

It is pertinent to mention that any political leader or government official is not authorized for running a NGO as the provision mentions. Despite of that no action has been taken yet by the concerned authority to control the increasing ratio of political indulgence in the Non Governmental Organisations.

He said that there is no existing law or act to de-register any NGO if found violating the provision made for running NGO’s when asked about the actions against NGOs running illegally.

When contacted Director Societies B.S. Dua has informed that a discussion with the Government regarding the matter is in progress as a result of which we could be able to make these Non Governmental Organizations free from political leaders and government officials.

He said that there is no existing law or act to de-register any NGO if found violating the provision made for running NGO’s when asked about the actions against NGOs running illegally.

Educated women forced to quit jobs, to tender homes

Educated women forced to quit jobs, to tender homes

Yash Khajuria                                                                                                                7/27/2011 8:48:28 PM

JAMMU, July 27: Growing number of women are ending up in homes after completing their graduation and other professional courses in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Lack of avenues in government and private sector is forcing them to end up in kitchens rather than contributing to their families’ income or development of the state. 

According to women activists, although in recent years number of girls have began to move outside their homes and are working in government and private sector, but they face lot of difficulties to carry on with their jobs after marriage. 

“There are no jobs opportunities in J&K and parents don’t allow girls to move out of the state to work in private companies, this is forcing the fair-sex to sit ideal in their homes”, said Hafiza Muzaffar, a women activist. 

Adding, “state is already facing huge unemployment problem and among the girls it is almost double”. 

For most of the women getting education is purely to get a good spouse as with the growing number of boys working in big multinational concern and preference for the educated bride, parents are investing on them only to make their after-marriage life comfortable. 

“I was working as teacher in B.Ed college after doing my PG in Zoology but after my engagement my fiancée debarred me to work and instead asked me to remain in home”, said Sheerin, who left her job as college teacher. 

There are thousands of girls who after marriage find themselves in tight situation after marriage, as they get crushed between commitment of married life and their career. 

“I am a engineer and works for a private MNC in Noida, while my husband is a bank manager in Jammu. Now he is insisting me to leave job in Delhi and shift to city as our children are studying here plus his family is here”, said Rachna Gupta. 

According to Suman, who runs a NGO, “Today women want to earn and move out of their homes but after marriage situation does not allow them. Be it nuclear family or joint family she has to manage her household”. 

“I have come through number of cases were before marriage, boys clearly ask girls not to work even if they are well educated or well paying jobs. Secondly in government jobs there is system but in private jobs women are mostly exploited (less pay-more work)” she added. 

Social activist, Kapil Suman who is working for the women empowerment in Jammu and Kashmir for last more than two-decades attribute this to the mind-set of society. “People feel that women are there to be suppressed and despite change in the society people still want their daughters and wives to remain in homes”. 

She said that while some girls have broke the barrier and have reached at pinnacle in their respective areas but still majority of women are still in age old shackles”.

Headmasters asked to take classes to put cap on absenteeism

Headmasters asked to take classes to put cap on absenteeism
Yash Khajuria	7/26/2011 9:07:52 PM
JAMMU, July 26: The Education Department has directed each Headmaster in primary and secondary schools to take a class each day in their respective institutions from this academic session. This follows after officials received number of complaints about repeated absence of headmasters from the institutions particularly in rural areas. According to the sources, each institution has been asked to maintain a monthly log which will be submitted to concerned Chief Education Officer (CEO) for checks so that discipline in maintained in the institutions which is the major concern for the falling standard of education in Jammu and Kashmir. “The step has been taken after a detailed inspection we found that in number of cases head of the institute was not taking his job seriously. This also encourages teachers to skip their work”, said CEO Jammu Natha Ram. Sharma said that all the 14 zones in the state have been directed to adhere to the new directive and necessary action will be taken in case they are not followed properly. Officials said that concerned with the falling standard in the government run institutions, government has also directed that teachers those teaching students in 5th class to 10th class should maintain a lesson diary of each day which will be checked by a team constituted by the state government in respective zones recently. It is pertinent to mention here that Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed had recently convened a meeting of the zonal education officers and other concerned officials and had shown concern over the poor performance of the Government schools even after spending crores on them under various central and state schemes. “There is a general opinion among the people that government teachers never show interest in schools and that is one of the reason people avoid sending their wards to them. We have to change this feeling”, said Ram. There are nearly 15,000 schools in Jammu and Kashmir which includes primary schools, elementary schools, secondary schools and senior secondary schools. Apart from this, government has also started to send notices to the teachers whose performance during the just announced 8th standard result was below expectation.