Introspection

Posted on January 14, 2014 by SRRF

Dear Friends,

We all started as Voluntary Organisation and are Registered as Public Society or Trust, as the case may be. We got NGOised in the recent three decades- thanks to World Bank.

It is true that most of US are doing very good work but all are not well. There were days when we prided as patriotic citizens working in Voluntary Organisations and our communities were very respectful to us.

But, by a wrong interpretation of professionalism we have become akin to corporate companies. Many of US are managing NGOs are lucrative Business literally evading TAXES though we are nothing different from TATAS and BIRLAS paying Huge Taxes.

We need in this context to introspect and talking of LEGAL details make mockery of the GENESIS of the growth of our SECTOR.

Shall we dwelve on the ethical practices we should follow that we are not following or unable to follow. Is it not true most in these years are preparing Statements of Accounts and getting it signed by the AUDITORS without a proper and regular AUDIT.

Let us look inwards and STOP PLAYING WITH LEGAL INTRICACIES TO HIDE OUR STINK.

Regards,
V.B.Chandrasekaran
Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam
Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandal
Khammam District, Andhra Pradesh
Pin Code: 507129

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11 Responses to Introspection

  1. D K Gupta says:
    January 18, 2014 at 6:59 am

    NGOs
    A New History of Transnational Civil Society
    Thomas Davies
    Smiley face

    In the first historical account of international NGOs, from the French Revolution to the present, Thomas Davies places the contemporary debate on transnational civil society in context. In contrast to the conventional wisdom, which sees transnational civil society as a recent development taking place along a linear trajectory, he explores the long history of international NGOs in terms of a cyclical process characterised by three major waves: the era to 1914, the inter-war years, and the period since the Second World War.

    The breadth of transnational civil society activities explored is unprecedented in its diversity, from business associations to humanitarian organisations, peace groups to socialist movements, feminist organisations to pan-nationalist groups. The geographical scope covered is also extensive, and the analysis is richly supported with reference to a diverse array of previously unexplored sources.

    By revealing the role of civil society rather than governmental actors in the major transformations of the past two-and-a-half centuries, this book is for anyone interested in obtaining a new perspective on world history. The analysis concludes in the second decade of the twenty-first century, providing insights into the trajectory of transnational civil society in the post-9/11 and post-financial crisis eras.

    You may order this book to :

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  2. Dr. Anoop Kohli says:
    January 15, 2014 at 7:59 am

    Let me know more on this,

    Dr. Anoop Kohli

  3. V.B.Chandrasekaran says:
    January 14, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    Dear Soma Sastry Garu, 14th January 2014

    We are not generalising but the General Facts about audit you mentioned remains as fact. More are there.
    Regards

    V.B.Chandrasekaran
    Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam
    Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandal
    Khammam District, Andhra Pradesh
    Pin Code: 507129
    Email: verivaan2049@yahoo.com antarbharatid2010@gmail.com

  4. V.B.Chandrasekaran says:
    January 14, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    Dear All, 14th January 2014
    The responses are very well building an aura of need for introspection. CWS has plenty of experience and can build certain ethical values based coming together of Voluntary Organisations. We are not blaming anybody but ourselves- shall we assert and shout from the house top that we are VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS. Let us gain the Guts and Wits to claim as such.

    An important agreement is on the perception of the public that must be valuated.

    I have many personal experiences of aberrations that I can share if the dialogue continues. At the END of day, we must all feel proud as angels who have made reasonable sacrifices to better the lives of our fellow human beings.

    We must start similar to Credibility Alliance at the Grass root that CWS can ponder and take initiative.
    Regards,
    V.B.Chandrasekaran
    Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam
    Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandal
    Khammam District, Andhra Pradesh
    Pin Code: 507129
    Email: verivaan2049@yahoo.com antarbharatid2010@gmail.com

  5. Avineesh Matta says:
    January 14, 2014 at 12:04 pm

    I have following excerpts from “The Paradoxical Commandments” by Dr. Kent M. Keith to share with my friends in context. That probably shall answer the quandary, we all face at some point of time in life…

    Quote

    People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
    Love them anyway.

    If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
    Do good anyway.

    The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
    Do good anyway.

    Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
    Be honest and frank anyway.

    What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
    Build anyway.

    Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
    Give the world the best you have anyway.

    Unquote
    © Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

  6. V.B. Chandrasekaran says:
    January 14, 2014 at 11:42 am

    Dear Joe All,

    Happy Pongal, Happy Magara Sankranthi and even Happy New Year for many Tamils.

    Let me be seen as DEVIL’S ADVOCATE taking a position painfully to introspect and change. I am not painting all organisations (VOs and NGOs) with black. May I humbly ask the following questions that are applicable to all of us?

    1. Why we in the sector of Voluntary Organisations do not come together on our common interests and ideas but fall apart making issue of our differences. Conversely, why we are able to come together if we are led by a Funding Donor Agency or a person who can command funds? Like in the famous movie Lagaan the ENGLISH Captain Andrew Russell derisively talking to INDIAN Bhuvan and villagers’ team, I and my wife late Smt. V.B.Mani had a painful experience with the Donor Representative at Bangalore in 80s. He was derisive of Indian Voluntary Organisations who will not come together (and he challenged so!) and he prided that the Western Donors can/do come together. This is still haunting my mind and heart.
    2. Why is it that popular Donor Driven Agendas have become ours? Why often we refer to our activity with prefix of donor agency?
    3. Is there any Voluntary Organisation with an idea from their ground experience, today? If someone speaks of an agenda as Devil’s Advocate why such persons are marginalized by all lead actors in our sector?
    4. In early 60s and during 70s we were exhorted and went to live with the oppressed and marginalized communities. How many of us have fled back to nearby capitals?
    5. While as a matter of further clarification and better understanding we may cautiously call ourselves as NGOs but why we shun calling popularly ourselves as Voluntary Organisations that has a Humanist and spiritual inbuilt meaning and content.
    6. In 70s and 80s, when Bunkar Roy proposed a National Platform like many others like Journalists, News papers, Actors, Film producers, Auto Rickshawalas- there was hue and cry of Government trying to control us and our freedom. Bunkar was blackened as a person belonging to the Government.But, now many of us are meekly submitting ourselves- our already audited and approved by our General Body accounts to be further audited by our DONORs as their mandate.From Donors point of view, this has become essential because all are not well with our sector. We have to agree with anguish!!!
    7. How active are Credibility Alliance and VANI that were formed after the Bunkar’s move was aborted by our hue and cry? How much we all got actively involved in these noble self regulatory mechanisms? That these have become too much professional and documents based is another relevant question?
    8. All of us are registered as A Public Society or Trust. How many of us are accordingly dependent upon the Public? Are we not dependent upon Foreign Funding ONLY? How many are closing the shops if such funds are stopped? Why we are unable to develop our own supporting constituency from among the communities with whom we work?
    9. Above all why this much hair splitting wastage on time about FCRA and such regulations that requires mere common sense, if we follow right path?

    Kindly appreciate the pains in many of us, the damage to our self esteem who are working as true Voluntary Organisations.

    V.B.Chandrasekaran
    Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam
    Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandal
    Khammam District, Andhra Pradesh
    Pin Code: 507129
    Email: verivaan2049@yahoo.com antarbharatid2010@gmail.com

  7. Subhash Mittal says:
    January 14, 2014 at 7:59 am

    Dear Chandrasekaran,

    Thanks for raising an important issue. The most important issue that we need to debate and understand why perception among general public of NGOs is negative despite the fact that often NGOs have been the harbinger of positive change in the society. (SEWA’s work with artisans and self-employed women in Gujarat is well known, water conservation work by a large number of NGOs in Rajasthan has helped change lanscape in large tracts of the desert. Participatory practices as evolved using Danida funds, particularly in South India, became a benchmark for evolving participatory model of development practices. Again it is the activism of NGOs which help brought Right to Information Act into reality. I am sure I am missing a number of other equally important examples here, which other could contribute to.)

    One reason could be presence of a large number of NGOs in India since regulatory framework is almost non-existent. This has encouraged sprouting of NGOs by politicians and bureaucrats often for channelising their ill-gotten monies. Efforts made for self-regulation have not even scratched the surface. Thus major scrutiny that NGOs are subjected to are only by the donors. Often their monitoring also falls far short of ideal. In such a scenario accusations on the sector are not easy to shrug off.

    On the flip side, donors often do not support institutional needs of an NGO. This often results in situations when NGOs may succumb to pressures of padding up costs, so that they can meet the salaries of unfunded personnel. NGOs themselves have contributed to this situation by succumbing to pressures of least cost models and not demanding funds for institutional strengthening.

    Thus as JS D’souza rightly states that we should avoid the temptation of brushing all NGOs with a thick Black brush but analyse the reasons for such negative perception and work for improving the situation, otherwise we would just add to the all pervading cynicism.

    subhash mittal

  8. J S D'Souza says:
    January 14, 2014 at 5:33 am

    Dear All,
    I am replying based on over 44 years association with the NGO sector.
    Mr Chandrasekharan has used a rather thick brush to paint ALL NGOs with the same BLACK color and adhesive. This is a rather wide-sweeping inclusive letter and requires a careful caution being almost in the public domain (the internet and emails are no more exclusive).
    I wonder what others have to state on this rather uncalled for BLACK MARKING of all NGOs.
    Sincerely,

    J S D’Souza
    T25/304, Orchid Petals,
    Sector 49, Sohna Road,
    Gurgaon 122 018

  9. B V Soma Sastry says:
    January 14, 2014 at 5:31 am

    Dear Chandrasekaran,

    Greetings from Hyderabad!

    Though I agree with certain points made by you but do not fully agree with you on certain issues. Moreover, World Bank had a role to play in the process of our NGOnization, I feel that we as organization did it. There is no point in blaming someone else. Also, let me put it on record that CWS is a 22 year old organization but has never sought or used the World Bank funds. It basically depends, as correctly pointed by you, on the core values of the organization. We are also very clear on which corporate to a accept fund from. Even if the funding is huge, we will not accept if we have in principle objections to the activities of the donor company.

    Moreover, many of the NGOs or the persons managing the NGOs have become immoral. I can give you many examples but the most common example is that of taking some amount back from the salaries that are actually paid. This definitely dents the moral and ethical fiber of the sector as a whole. There are people who have a perception that NGOs are money making machines and are disrespectful to NGOs.

    On the aspect of taxation and related issues, I have a strong objection with the CA/Statutroy Auditors handling the NGOs. As we work with many grassroot NGOs, the CA/SA of the NGOs blindly sign the audit reports. Alternatively, there will be a person writing books of accounts for the NGOs (attached to the CA/SA) and then get them signed from the auditors. The NGOs is not interested in whether proper procedure is followed or not. Same is the case with the auditor. The NGO is happy that the audit is done and the copy can be sent to donor. The auditor is happy that he has received his cheque. At the end of the day, the NGO is not able to clarify any queries raised on the audit reports.

    There is certain amount of ignorance with regard to the legal issues with many of the NGOs as well as with the auditors especially with regard to the FCRA. I have certain partner auditors who was not willing to listen that interest earned on FC funds is FC. I had to talk to the auditor and send him the details of the section in FCRA. These should be considered and dealt with accordingly.

    My humble submission is that we should not generalize the issue. Forums like SRRF will also go a long way in dealing with these issues provided the NGOs are willing to heed to the advice. I also see a lot of reluctance on part of the NGO founders to accept the change happening around us.

    Let us hope and ensure that we rectify these anomalies. It is also our responsibility to bridge the trust deficit between the civil society organizations and Government.

    I hope we will be able to achieve this. But as rightly pointed by you, charity should begin from home.

    Thanks and regards,

    B V Soma Sastry

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