Management Mess In Poverty Reduction
Correction Needed

By Dr. Parashar Koirala

POVERTY reduction programme is not a new concept in Nepal. The Nepalese people have been familiar with it since 1977. It is presented time and again to the people living below the poverty line with baskets of aspirations. Most poverty alleviation programmes started at different periods of time continue on. Once the government launches such programmes they become the projects for unlimited life period. Several programmes on different project titles focusing on poverty level are, therefore, running under different ministries. For example, women are termed as most exploited, financially weak and living in threat and insecurity. Studies conducted on gender issues support this statement. For their empowerment, there is a department of women development under the ministry of Local Development since long ago. The cottage and village industry development committee, entrepreneur’s development project, cottage industry development academy etc., involved in entrepreneurs development activities are in operation under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply.

Similarly, apart from short-term programmes of National Planning Commission, there is an organisation for employment promotion under the Prime Minister’s office categorically deputed to strengthen the income generating activities conducted by NGOs. The programmes like Garib Sita Bishweshwor (Bishweshwor with the poor), Mahila Jaagriti (women awareness) are some among others. In the financial sector, institutions like RMDC and Graamin Vikash Banks focus mainly on the rural poor in their credit disbursement function. And at least eight per cent of the total credit disbursement of commercial banks which is mandatory goes to the priority sector, that is to small farmers and to the poorest of the poor community.

INGOs and NGOs, on the other hand, are mushrooming with the same goals viz awareness creation, capacity building and institution development in the rural area in order to strengthen the economic strata of the poor people. It is estimated that knowledge and facilities worth billions of rupees per annum are spent on the name of poor and poverty through different governmental and non-governmental agencies and organisations. A huge amount of money as donation flows from abroad through governmental and non-governmental organisations. But, no one at the present moment can correctly say what the exact amount of total investment is actually made per annum on poverty reduction. The government mechanism, developed so far, has remained silent on this subject, which, in turn, has made a safe haven for the NGOs and INGOs to grow in Nepal.

NGOs and INGOs are self-regulatory bodies governed by their respective constitutions. No questions are raised against them for their legal entity and existence. But, as always, a doubt remains among the people at large as to the fulfillment of the noble cause of reducing poverty of their targeted people. The common people feel that it is nothing but a mechanism for dollar farming to the stakeholders. Such general comments about the functions of NGOs and INGOs hurt those really serious for achieving their goals. Most of the successful NGOs work as facilitators along with targeted people in every successive step of income generating activities. The guideline of the programme activities is developed beforehand. And any short-fall in the programme activities found in their results is corrected following the review and monitoring reports. The review and monitoring report is a kind of progress report, submitted to the donor agency to release the amount of each installment. The report is supposed to be prepared by an independent consultant selected by the donor agency. So, the responsibility of less impact of the poverty reduction activities on targeted people goes to them, viz, NGOs, INGOs, and the consultants in different degrees. It is because, NGOs and INGOs are implementing agencies and the consultants, on the other hand, are guilty of losing professional honesty.

There is no independent agency of high profile deputed for project evaluation function. It looks like a least priority job. The concerning ministries or departments which means those implementing the project at the present moment, are, therefore, responsible for reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the project as against the principle of management. It seeks the controlling authority getting successful implementation of development oriented policy. Because, the job of the manager is not only getting things done by others but also is to produce the required results efficiently and effectively on the assigned time period. A time limit should, therefore, be necessary to have for increasing the source of income to a certain percentage of people living below the poverty line. A common effort which can be derived from the coordinating activities of the institutions, agencies, government organisations, NGOs and INGOs engaged in poverty alleviation task makes some significant impact on this respect.

The astonishing factor here, too, is that the expenditure made by the NGOs and INGOs comes under non-plan expenditure. All of them have been running their own empires with a little chance of interaction with the government’s central planning network on the one hand, and on the other, they lack their own coordinating efforts in the area of work to be performed and according to the geographical region for project concentration with a given time period focusing on required results. In the absence of a certain procedural norms, a massive duplication of work is unavoidable. NGOs and INGOs, which are over 11200, working in the country come to about three for each Village Development Committee (VDC) if divided equally among them. It all shows a massive mismanagement in the non-governmental organisations.

The government duty is, therefore, to bring the governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, INGOs and other institutions involved in particular poverty reduction activities into one umbrella and make a coordinating effort for poverty reduction. Since the effectiveness of the programme rests on a certain correction in the consumption pattern of the poor people, a reliable institution assigned for evaluation and assessment of the programme can only be able to disclose the facts and figures in this forefront. And it is a process of image creation of the NGOs and INGOs working in the country.

The Wrong Path

By PNK

SYCOPHANCY and corruption are things that attract much attention. Remember those old days when people would stand from early in the morning for getting the darshan of the Rana rulers. Even a short Nepali story has been written highlighting this particular tendency. Whether a straightforward character likes it or not, after all old habits die hard.

Well, that is how life runs along for many. There are many whose digestive juices are not switched on unless they pay a visit to the residence of a political leader or their hakims and pay their respecet. it might look like a simple matter or paying a courtesy call. But there is the undercurrent of gaining favours, which matter the most.

For a starter days may go before the silence is broken. Things are not like as it was in the past. Then the sycophant only stood to gain form his activity of posing the role of a loyal persons. But now it’s more expansive to include the persons concerned together with the person who wields the authority. Only when both sides stand to gain can the proposal presented be approved.

The scene is very vivid when one sees a contractor get up early in the morning and rush to the concerned person’s residence. It’s not only to gain more contracts or rather favours that the person rushes out probably without even having the morning cup of tea-tea is served in the place where he is heading for but also to convey a lot of gossip and could also include some ‘’confidential reports.’’

But even after all this, the corruption part just doesn’t seem to emerge. But the fact is that the courtesy call is more often than not a facade for many in the line. Files don’t move without greasing the palms and this is not only in this country but also in many other parts of the world. If one stands to gain then why not facilitator. That is the principle that works. Seeing the actual workers in the field doesn’t satisfy the boss. So the boss too has to have his share over and above the ordinary scale.

It all goes to say that whether the development activities are totally beneficial to the ordinary people or not at least the few with the spoon in their hand make it worth their ‘efforts’. Why not. One persons who becomes prosperous is the country dream materialising to see that the countrymen’s living standard go up.

And how can an employee go all out the wealthy style, flamboyantly displaying what he has that the ordinary people don’t. That lets the secret out that is corruption has a big role to play. Otherwise it’s not possible for a persons who receives Rs. 10,000 or so together with the perks to build even one house properly. But when it comes to the guys steeped in corruption four houses and four cars are no big deal.

In this scientific age, there is no magic wand that can turn every item into gold. It’s sheer ‘’hard work’’ that translates into reality the dream of rolling in money-money so much that the next seven generations cold live comfortable. After all, money pours in only for the unscrupulous people. Be honest and really labourious, you may gain some peace of mind but not the comforts for you and your family. This doesn’t means that one should become corrupt. But is just a suggestion to stop abuse of authority so that the benefits would percolate down to all. If this is donte, it would be satya yug making a come back but that is not possible from any angle.