Sample Material of Our IAS Mains GS Online Coaching Programme
Subject: General Studies (Paper 2 - Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)
Topic: Government Policies & Interventions For Development
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & INTERVENTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL POLICY ON THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION
The need for a national policy on the voluntary sector has been debated in public circles. for close to 20 years. The matter seemed to have been sealed with the Union cabinet approving a policy on May 17, 2007. “Creating an environment for the Voluntary Organisations (VOs) in order to stimulate their effectiveness,” is among its stated aims.
The Policy has six parts:
(a) Preamble
(b) Scope of the Policy
(c) Objectives of the Policy
(d) Establishing an Enabling Environment
(e) Partnership in Development
(f) Strengthening the Voluntary Sector
Scope
In the Policy, voluntary organizations (VOs) mean to include organizations engaged in-public service, based on ethical, cultural, social, economic, political, religious, spiritual, philanthropic or scientific & technological considerations. VOs include formal as.well as informal groups, such as: community-based organizations (CBOs); non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs); charitable organizations; support organizationsj networks or federations of such organisations; as well as professional membership associations.
To be covered under the Policy, VOs should broadly have
the following characteristics:
• They are private, i:e., separate from Government
• They do not return profits generated to their owners or directors
• They are self-governing, i.e., not controlled by Government
• They are registered organizations or informal groups, with defined aims and
objectives.
Objectives
1. The specific objectives of the policy are listed below:
2. To create an enabling environment for VOs that stimulates their enterprise
and effectiveness, and safeguards their autonomy;
3. To enable VOs to legitimately mobilize necessary financial resources from
India and abroad;
4. To identify systems by which the Government may work together with VOs. on
the basis of the principles of mutual trust and respect, and with shared
responsibility; and,
5. To encourage VOs to adopt transparent and accountable systems of governance
and management.
