HT Chandigarh debate: Charity has to be channelised effectively to target groups

With the world and India set for a long-drawn battle against Covid-19 and the lockdown in India extended up to May 3, this is the time for redefining the role of

With the world and India set for a long-drawn battle against Covid-19 and the lockdown in India extended up to May 3, this is the time for redefining the role of NGOs and civil society in streamlining charitable initiatives in real time coordination with the administration.

Even though several Good Samaritans are doing their best to ensure the underprivileged don’t go hungry, members of large families can still go without food. (HT File Photo)

Till now, ever since the curfew/lockdown was imposed, a number of NGOs and good Samaritans have come forward to organise community meal (langar) services and supply food to the administration to distribute to the poor and the homeless. However, what has been lacking is a well coordinated response system to alleviate the distress of people left without any means of income after the lockdown led to drying up of work/jobs.

What is going against NGOs and philanthropists is that most of them have been operating on their own without guidelines, attempting to reach out to the underprivileged in whichever way they deem fit. Without a well-defined, workable plan in place, many people are not able to benefit from their charitable initiatives.

Fine tuning the PM Cares fund, set up specifically to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, to guarantee transparency in utilisation of money, allocating specific amounts to each charity with UT or state or district administrations as the overarching authority to supervise spending could be a way forward.

The aim of funds like this should not be only to help the underprivileged tide over the present crisis, but also to help rehabilitate them in the long term.

Every plan must be need-based. The focus immediately should be on mapping out beneficiaries and ensure everyone gets his or her rightful share of food. This can later be extended to monetary help, creation of work opportunities, continuing education of children and other support systems for them.

Work must be initiated on a war footing to start helping the needy to enable them to quickly get back on their feet once normalcy is restored.

WRITE TO US

What can be done for effective distribution of charity?

How can charitable endeavours be streamlined during the Covid-19 crisis, made sustainable and reach targeted populations? Send in your responses to chandigarh@hindustantimes.com by April 24.