Noida: Rajnath Singh lauds NGOs for development work in areas govt can’t reach || Hindustan Times ||
Stressing on the role of the civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) in achieving social equality, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said that the government machinery is not sufficient to achieve the economic and social goals.
Singh was in Noida to attend the HCL Grant 2018 where three NGOs were awarded a total sum of ₹15 crore as financial assistance by the HCL Technologies.
Singh said that the role of NGOs is paramount in areas where government machinery cannot reach.
“There are Naxal-hit areas in India where government personnel are not allowed to enter. I have myself witnessed that NGOs work even in such areas. Our goal of inclusive development cannot be completed only with government machinery. We need public support and the help of civil society and NGOs,” Singh said.
He said that even after 70 years of India’s Independence, there are some areas that lag behind in development, be it economical, social or academic.
“Even after 70 years (of independence), we noticed that India has not witnessed homogenous development and there are many areas where development and policies of the government have not reached. In the field of education, we have seen schools where the teacher-student ratio is 1:250. It is important that along with GDP we also focus on Human Development Index,” he said, adding that the Union Government has selected 115 aspirational districts that require inclusive development.
“We have selected 115 districts across India which have not progressed much since independence on the parameters of education, health and nutrition, environment, water resources, financial inclusion, skill development and infrastructure. It is important that civil society and NGOs come together, along with the government machinery, for these 115 districts to prosper,” Singh said.
Gautam Budh Nagar member of Parliament Mahesh Sharma was also present on this occasion.
“Until and unless we achieve freedom in the society to the point that each and every member can experience the same freedom, our freedom is of no use,” Sharma said.