Odisha home to most number of non-performing NGOs in country

Bhubaneswar: Of the 924 NGOs identified by the Union Women and Child Development Ministry as 'bad' non-governmental organisations (NGOs) recently, Odisha has been placed at the top with as many as 289 such NGOs.

While the report of the ministry has no mention of the criteria on which they were listed, it is believed that the list was prepared only after reviewing the performance of the organisations getting foreign aid.

As per reports, names of several NGOs in districts like Dhenkanal, Nayagarh and Koraput among others are on pen and paper only. Out of the listed 289 NGOs, several have been blacklisted while foreign aid of others has been stopped.

"If the monitoring and evaluation of funds received and utilised by the NGOs are done at the district level then it will help in ensuring proper utilisation of the funds," said Amuj Kumar Puhan, NGO co-ordinator of Dhenkanal.

Meanwhile, Odisha Women and Child Development Minister, Prafulla Samal said that the State government will look into the grounds on which the NGOs were blacklisted.

"We will review the performance of the NGOs functioning in the State and stern action will be taken against the non-performing organisations," Samal added.